Cannes Awards

On the live feeds, early rumors spread that Asghar Farhadi’s The Past was reportedly Jury President Steven Spielberg’s favorite picture of the Fest, “by far,” and was in line to win the Palme d’Or, while other rumors persisted that Abdellatif  Kechiche’s Blue is the Warmest Color winning the FIPRESCI prize earlier was a major sign of it winning.  I’d lean towards the former (though I’d prefer the latter), but neither film will leave Cannes without a major prize. 

Bruce Dern winning Best Actor from Alexander Payne’s Nebraska was a major upset, as odds favored Michael Douglas playing Liberace in Behind the Candelabria, or perhaps Toni Servillo in Paolo Sorrentino The Great Beauty.  Nonetheless, a major coup in his career.  When Bérénice Bejo from Asghar Farhadi’s The Past won Best Actress, heads started spinning about Cannes rules that only allow one award per film, taking this major film out of consideration for the Best film, unless…unless, the Jury President overruled the Cannes rules through some kind of Jury President dispensation.  It’s a possibility, folks.   

Never would have pegged Jia Zhang-ke for Best Screenplay, perhaps Best Director, or another major prize.  With the announcing of the Jury Prize, no real upset so far except for the Best Actress, not because Bejo doesn’t deserve it, but the impact it has for the film winning the Palme d’Or.  Mexican director Amat Escalante’s award for Best Director for Heli is a major upset, even if he is friends with perennial Cannes winner Carlos Reygadas, who co-incidentally won the Best Director award last year for Post Tenebras Lux.  Mexican cinema is alive and well apparently. 

The outcome is no longer in doubt, as the Coens and  Kechiche take the last two prizes, with Abdellatif  Kechiche’s Blue is the Warmest Color winning the Palme d’Or, a popular choice, and one many of us suspected Spielberg would not make due to the film’s subject matter, which is hardly family entertainment.  It appears the Jury got it right this year, awarding the right films, perhaps in a different order than some might choose, but Cannes awards are quite prestigious.   

In Competition Cannes Awards

Palme D'Or (1st)

French/Tunesian director Abdellatif  Kechiche Blue is the Warmest Color

Grand Prix (2nd)

American Coen brothers Inside Llewyn Davis

Best Director

Mexican director Amat Escalante for Heli

Jury Prize (3rd)

Japanese director Hirokazu Kore-eda’s Like Father, Like Son

Best Screenplay

Chinese director Jia Zhang-ke’s A Touch of Sin 

Best Actress

French actress Bérénice Bejo from Asghar Farhadi’s The Past

Best Actor

American actor Bruce Dern from Alexander Payne’s Nebraska

(not present to receive the award)

Camera D’Or (First Time Directors)

Singapore director Anthony Chen's Iloilo

(Iloilo is a province on Panay Island in the Philippines)

Best Short Film

South Korea’s Moon Byoung-gon's Safe

Un Certain Regard

Prize of Un Certain Regard The Missing Picture dir: Rithy Panh

Special Jury Prize Omar dir: Hany Abu-Assad

Best First Film Fruitvale Station dir: Ryan Coogler

Best Director
Alain Guiraudie for Stranger by the Lake

A Certain Talent
Diego Quemada-Diez for The Golden Cage

Directors' Fortnight

Art Cinema Award Me, Myself and Mum dir: Guillaume Gallienne

Prix SACD Me, Myself and Mum dir: Guillaume Gallienne

Europa Cinemas The Selfish Giant dir: Clio Barnard

Premier Prix Illy for Short Filmmaking A Wild Goose Chase dir: Joao Nicolau

Special Mention: About a Month dir: Andre Novais Oliveira

FIPRESCI Prize

In Competition Blue Is the Warmest Colour dir: Abdellatif Kechiche

Un Certain Regard Manuscripts Don't Burn dir: Mohammad Rasoulof

Directors' Fortnight/Critics' Week Blue Ruin dir: Jeremy Saulnier

Ecumenical Jury

Prize of the Ecumenical Jury The Past dir: Asghar Farhadi

Commendations: Miele dir: Valeria Golino and Like Father, Like Son dir: Hirokazu Koreeda

Queer Palm

Stranger By the Lake dir: Alain Guiraudie

Palm Dog

Baby Boy in Behind the Candelabra