CANNES — Nine years ago, Sean Baker captivated the film world as one of Variety's Directors to Watch. Today, he stands at the pinnacle of Cannes, victorious with the Palme d'Or for his latest masterpiece, "Anora." This electric tale of love and passion tells the story of an alluring exotic dancer (Mikey Madison) and the insanely wealthy son of a Russian oligarch (portrayed by Mark Eydelshteyn). Baker's triumph marks a historic moment, as he becomes the first American filmmaker to clinch the festival's coveted top prize since Terrence Malick's "The Tree of Life" in 2011.
"Anora" marks Baker's third consecutive film to premiere at Cannes, following the critical successes of "The Florida Project" and "Red Rocket." As he accepted the esteemed award from two-time Palme d'Or winner Francis Ford Coppola, whose own film "Megalopolis" went unrecognized, Baker dedicated the honor to "all sex workers, past, present, and future." His words echoed the significance of cinema as a shared experience, emphasizing the need to preserve the theatrical experience.
From the podium, Baker passionately declared, "The world must be reminded that watching a film at home, while scrolling through phones, checking emails, and giving half-hearted attention, is not the way. Despite some tech companies' wishes, watching a film with others in a movie theater remains one of life's greatest communal experiences. Here, we share laughter, sorrow, anger, fear, and hopefully find catharsis among friends and strangers. So, I say the future of cinema lies where it began: in the heart of a movie theater."
The awards ceremony for the 2024 Cannes Film Festival was hosted by the charming Camille Cottin, star of the popular series "Call My Agent." Presiding over a jury predominantly composed of women, Greta Gerwig led a diverse group including Spanish director Juan Antonio Bayona, Turkish actor-screenwriter Ebru Ceylan, Italian actor Pierfrancesco Favino, American actress Lily Gladstone, Japanese director Hirokazu Kore-eda, Lebanese actor-director Nadine Labaki, and French stars Eva Green and Omar Sy.
In a moment of pride for Indian cinema, Payal Kapadia received the Grand Prix — the festival's second-highest honor — for "All We Imagine as Light." This remarkable film marks the first Indian entry in competition at Cannes in three decades, a feat not seen since Shaji Karun's "Swaham" faced off against "Pulp Fiction" for the Palme in 1994. "All We Imagine as Light" explores the intricate connections between three women from diverse backgrounds in Mumbai, offering a profound and poignant portrayal of female experiences.
Cottin, in a lighthearted manner, interrupted Laurent Lafitte's presentation of the inaugural award, quizzing him about whether ChatGPT had penned his speech. Building on that humorous exchange, the prize for the best screenplay was awarded to French director Coralie Fargeat for her audacious and brilliantly bizarre horror flick, "The Substance." This film, described by Green as a "bold, beautifully bonkers" tale of cosmetic surgery, stars the ever-stunning Demi Moore as a faded Hollywood beauty and Margaret Qualley as her younger, perfect doppelganger, with whom she agrees to share her life.
The jury broadened the traditional scope of the best actress category to honor what Lily Gladstone termed "the harmony of sisterhood" in "Emilia Pérez." Directed by former Palme d'Or winner Jacques Audiard (of "Dheepan" fame), this Mexico-set musical drama, centered on a cartel boss's disappearance and subsequent reemergence as a woman, stars Zoe Saldaña, Selena Gomez, and transgender star Karla Sofía Gascón. The film also garnered the Jury Award.
Best actor honors were bestowed upon Jesse Plemons, who plays three distinct roles - a submissive businessman, a grieving police officer, and a bisexual cult member - in "Kinds of Kindness," a surreal satirical offering from "Poor Things" director Yorgos Lanthimos.
A special award, greeted with an enthusiastic standing ovation, was created by the jury to recognize Iranian director Mohammad Rasoulof, who braved great personal risks to attend the Cannes Film Festival, fleeing an eight-year prison sentence for his politically charged drama, "The Seed of the Sacred Fig." This three-hour film delves into the country's recent Women, Life, Freedom movement through the lens of a middle-class family whose two daughters question their father's role in the regime.
Portuguese filmmaker Miguel Gomes was awarded the directing prize for "Grand Tour," a captivating blend of black-and-white and color footage, period reenactments, and contemporary anthropological glimpses. The film tells the story of a British civil servant from the early 20th century who attempts to flee his fiancée by hopping from one Asian country to the next.
The Camera d'Or prize for best first feature went to Halfdan Ullman Tondel's "Armand," while a non-standard special mention was given to "Mongrel," a film selected for Directors' Fortnight and co-directed by Chiang Wei Liang and You Qiao Yin.
COMPETITION
Palme d’Or: “Anora,” Sean Baker
Grand Prix: “All We Imagine as Light,” Payal Kapadia
Director: Miguel Gomes, “Grand Tour”
Actor: Jesse Plemons, “Kinds of Kindness.”
Actresses: “Emilia Pérez”
Jury Prize: “Emilia Pérez”
Special Award (Prix Spécial): Mohammad Rasoulof, “The Seed of the Sacred Fig”
Screenplay: Coralie Fargeat, “The Substance”
OTHER PRIZES
Camera d’Or: “Armand,” Halfdan Ullman Tondel
Camera d’Or Special Mention: “Mongrel,” Chiang Wei Liang, You Qiao Yin
Short Film Palme d’Or: “The Man Who Could Not Remain Silent,” Nebojša Slijepčević
Short Film Special Mention: “Bad for a Moment,” Daniel Soares
Golden Eye Documentary Prize: “Ernest Cole: Lost and Found” and “The Brink of Dreams”
Queer Palm: “Three Kilometers to the End of the World”
Palme Dog: Kodi, “Palm Dog”
FIPRESCI Award (Competition): “The Seed of the Sacred Fig,” Mohammad Rasoulof
FIPRESCI Award (Un Certain Regard): “The Story of Souleymane,” Boris Lojkine
FIPRESCI Award (Parallel Sections): “Desert of Namibia,” Yoko Yamanaka
UN CERTAIN REGARD
Un Certain Regard Award: “Black Dog,” Guan Hu
Jury Prize: “The Story of Souleymane,” Boris Lojkine
Best Director Prize: (ex aequo) “The Damned,” Roberto Minervini; “On Becoming a Guinea Fowl,” Rungano Nyoni
Performance Awards: “The Shameless,” Anasuya Sengupta; “The Story of Souleymane,” Abou Sangare
Youth Prize: “Holy Cow! (Vingt Dieux),” Louise Courvoisier
Special Mention: “Norah,” Tawfik Alzaidi
DIRECTORS’ FORTNIGHT
Europa Cinemas Label: “The Other Way Around,” Jonás Trueba
Society of Dramatic Authors and Composers Prize: “This Life of Mine,” Sophie Fillières
Audience Choice Award: “Universal Language,” Matthew Rankin
CRITICS’ WEEK
Grand Prize: “Simon of the Mountain,” Federico Luis
French Touch Prize: “Blue Sun Palace,” Constance Tsang
GAN Foundation Award for Distribution: Jour2Fête, “Julie Keeps Quiet”
Louis Roederer Foundation Rising Star Award: Ricardo Teodoro, “Baby”
Leitz Cine Discovery Prize (short film): “Guil Sela,” Montsouris Park
