The French film Amour by Michael Haneke won the Palme d’Or Grand Prize at this year’s Cannes Film Festival. The primary publicity image of the film, suggesting a loving older couple now facing the indignity of dementia, is enticing in a tender way. That’s the buzz – the icy cold Haneke (“The Piano Teacher,” “Caché”) has made his first truly tender film. I look forward to reviewing it when it gets a U.S. distribution deal. Jean-Louis Trintignant and Emmanuelle Riva star.
- Emmanuelle Riva, left; Michael Haneke, center; Jean-Louis Trintignant, right
Haneke is the eighth person to win twice at Cannes. Haneke’s “The White Ribbon” won in 2009 – austere, but self-consciously cerebral to me. The wealth was shared by naming Carlos Reygadas as Best Director for his roughly autobiographical film (his words) called “Post tenebras lux.” Mads Mikkelsen, an underrated international actor, won Best Actor for playing a man falsely accused of child molestation in “The Hunt” (Denmark). Christina Flutur and Cosmina Stratan shared the prize for Best Actress for the same film, “Beyond the Hills” (Romania), a film concerning an exorcism ritual at an Orthodox convent. That film also took the Best Screenplay award.
Lee Daniels, director/artist of “Precious,” garnered waves of adulation for “The Paperboy” but the film walked away with nothing – it should still nevertheless rack up acclaim and award nominations by the end of this year.
Members of the Main Jury included Hiam Abbass, Andrea Arnold, Emmanuelle Devos, Diane Kruger, Jean Paul Gaultier, Ewan McGregor, Alexander Payne, Raoul Peck and head president of the pool, the Italian director Nanni Moretti.
MAIN JURY PRIZES:
Palme d’Or: “Amour,” directed by Michael Haneke
Grand Prix: “Reality,” directed by Matteo Garrone
Director: Carlos Reygadas, “Post tenebras lux”
Jury prize: “The Angels’ Share,” directed by Ken Loach
Actor: Mads Mikkelsen, “The Hunt”
Actress (tie): Cristina Flutur and Cosmina Stratan, “Beyond the Hills”
Screenplay: Cristian Mungiu, “Beyond the Hills”
UN CERTAIN REGARD JURY PRIZES:
Main prize: “After Lucia,” directed by Michel Franco
Jury prize: “Le grand soir,” directed by Benoit Delepine and Gustave Kervern
Actress (tie): Emilie Dequenne, “Our Children”; Suzanne Clement, “Laurence Anyways”
Special distinction of the jury: “Children of Sarajevo,” directed by Aida Begic
CRITIC’S WEEK GRAND PRIX:
“Here and There,” directed by Antonio Mendez Esparza
