Cristian Mungiu’s Norway-set drama “Fjord” has won the Palme d’Or at the Cannes Film Festival for the second time. This marks a second victory for the Romanian director, who previously won for “4 Months, 3 Weeks and 2 Days.” The film received wide admiration at the 79th Cannes Festival.
“Fjord” tells the story of Romanian Evangelicals who relocate to Norway only to have their children taken by child services due to corporal punishment. Sebastian Stan and Renate Reinsve star in the film. Mungiu described the work as a protest against extremism, emphasizing the importance of trauma, inclusion, and empathy.
Today the society is split. It’s divided. It’s radicalized.
Mungiu becomes one of only ten filmmakers to win the Palme d’Or twice. This accolade extends Neon’s streak of seven consecutive Palme d’Or wins, following successes like Jafar Panahi’s “It Was Just an Accident” and “Anora,” which also won Best Picture at the Oscars.
‘Minotaur’ Wins Grand Prix
The Grand Prix went to “Minotaur,” a domestic thriller by Andrey Zvyagintsev set amid Russia’s conflict with Ukraine. The film, inspired by Claude Chabrol’s “The Unfaithful Wife,” centers on a Russian businessman suspicious of his wife’s loyalties while conscripting workers for the war effort.
The only person who can stop this butchery is you, Mr. President of the Russian Federation.
This year’s Cannes was not marked by significant buzz, with Hollywood largely absent. However, the awards could boost the global profiles of the winning films, mirroring last year’s festival, which led to several Oscar nominees.
The nine-member jury, led by Korean filmmaker Park Chan-wook, included personalities like Demi Moore, Chloé Zhao, and Stellan Skarsgård. Park joked about preferring not to award the Palme, hinting at his own aspirations.
Awards Shared Among Talents
Pawel Pawlikowski and Spanish directors Javier Ambrossi and Javier Calvo shared the Best Director award. Pawlikowski was honored for his postwar drama “Fatherland,” and the creative duo for the queer epic “The Black Ball.” It marked a debut Cannes win for Ambrossi and Calvo.
In Best Actress, Virginie Efira and Tao Okamoto shared the award for their performances in “All of a Sudden,” a drama about women united by their care for others. Additionally, the Best Actor prize was split between Emmanuel Macchia and Valentin Campagne for “Coward,” depicting young Belgian soldiers in World War II.
Emmanuel Marre won Best Screenplay for “A Man of His Time,” a drama about a Nazi collaborator based on his great-grandfather’s experiences. The Jury Prize went to Valeska Grisebach for “The Dreamed Adventure,” set in Bulgaria.
Notably absent was tribute honoree Barbra Streisand, due to a knee injury. Isabelle Huppert paid homage to her, with Streisand appearing in a video message. The Camera d’Or for best first film honored Marie Clémentine Dusabejambo’s “Ben Imana,” the first Rwandan film featured at the festival.