The Cannes Film Festival awarded the prestigious Palme d’Or to American director Sean Baker’s film “Anora,” a ribald and picaresque tale about a sex worker who marries the son of a Russian oligarch. The film, starring Mikey Madison, has been praised for its nonjudgmental portrayal of its protagonist. George Lucas presented the award to Baker at the ceremony, where Baker dedicated the award to sex workers past, present, and future. The event opened with a Star Wars-themed spoof before Lucas received an honorary Palme d’Or from his friend Francis Ford Coppola.
The competition jury, led by Greta Gerwig, also awarded the gripping Iranian film “The Seed of the Sacred Fig,” which tells the story of a family unraveling during Iran’s Women, Life, Freedom protest movement. Director Mohammad Rasoulof, who fled Iran before the festival, received the award in person, having left his country after being sentenced to imprisonment, fines, and corporal punishment. Additionally, Indian director Payal Kapadia received the Grand Prix for her film “All We Imagine as Light,” a drama about three women navigating their desires in contemporary Mumbai.
In other awards, Jesse Plemons won Best Actor for “Kinds of Kindness” by Greek filmmaker Yorgos Lanthimos, while French director Jacques Audiard’s “Emilia Pérez” nabbed the Jury Prize and Best Actress awards. Portuguese filmmaker Miguel Gomes was recognized as Best Director for his film “Grand Tour,” while the screenplay award went to the English-language horror film “The Substance.” Coralie Fargeat, the director, thanked Demi Moore for her role in the film.
The Camera d’Or prize for Best First Feature went to Norwegian director Halfdan Ullmann Tondel’s “Armand,” a psychological thriller about the aftermath of a child assault accusation. Leading up to the festival, there were rumors of protests against the Gaza conflict, but none materialized. Additionally, a story in The Guardian about Coppola’s alleged behavior during the making of “Megalopolis” did not impact the festival, as the focus remained on the films being showcased. The event highlighted a variety of global cinema, with a mix of critical favorites and surprises in the lineup.
