After 21 world premieres, nearly two weeks of red carpet shows and thousands of camera flashes, the 76th Cannes Film Festival concluded on Saturday with the presentation of its top award, the Palme d’Or.
One of the most prestigious film awards will be decided by this year’s jury, chaired by two-time Palme d’Or winner, Ruben Östlund, Swedish director. The closing night of the ceremony will be a short ceremony before the film, Pixar’s animation “Elemental”.
Any of the 21 films presented in the main competition at Cannes can win the Palme d’Or. Among this year’s favorite movies is Jonathan Glazer’s “The Zone of Interest,” a chilling adaptation by Martin Amis about a German family who lives next door. Auschwitz; Danish filmmaker Aki Kaurismäki’s deadpan romance “Fallen Leaves”; and “Anatomy of a Fall,” Justin Truitt’s twisted courtroom drama from the French Alps.
Two of them, “Anatomy of a Fall” and “The Zone of Interest”, star German actress Sandra Hüller, a potential Best Actress nominee.
The festival’s Un Certain Regard section handed out its awards on Friday, awarding first prize to Molly Manning Walker’s debut feature, “How to Have Sex.”
Saturday’s ceremony kicks off an edition of Cannes that hasn’t lacked in entertainment, stars or controversy.
The most powerful premiers came out of the competition. Martin Scorsese begins his Osage murder epic “Killers of the Flower Moon,” an expansive vision of American exploitation starring Leonardo DiCaprio and Lily Gladstone. “Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny,” Harrison Ford’s farewell, begins with a tribute to Ford. And Wes Anderson released “Asteroid City”.
The festival opened on a controversial note. “Jeanne du Barry”, a period drama co-starring Johnny Depp as Louis XV, was featured as the opening night film. The premiere marked Depp’s highest-profile appearance since the conclusion of his explosives trial last year with ex-wife Amber Heard.
The selection of “Jean du Barry” added to Cahn’s criticism for being too hospitable to men accused of abusive behavior.
Cannes, which requires competing films to meet France’s strict theatrical release rules, has been at a standoff with Netflix in recent years. Interestingly, though, a Netflix release could win the Palme d’Or. After Todd Haynes’ “May December”, starring Natalie Portman and Julianne Moore, premiered in competition, Netflix picked it up for North American distribution for $11 million.
