The film “Anora”, by American filmmaker Sean Baker, won the Palme d’Or of the 77th Cannes Film Festival, during the closing ceremony this Saturday evening. The actresses from the musical comedy by Jacques Audiard, “Emilia Perez”, including transgender actress Karla Sofía Gascón, received a joint female performance award. Georges Lucas, the father of the Star Wars saga, received an honorary Palme d’Or. Discover the entire list of winners.
The Palme d’Or goes to American Sean Baker for “Anora”
American filmmaker Sean Baker received the Palme d’Or for “Anora”, a New York thriller which moves from the slums to the luxury villas of Russian oligarchs, and augurs a revival of American independent cinema. “This film is magnificent, full of humanity (…) It broke our hearts”, declared the president of the jury and director of “Barbie” Greta Gerwig, before presenting her with the prize.
Honorary Palme d’Or for Georges Lucas
Under a standing ovation from the public and the jury, George Lucas, father of the “Star Wars” saga, received the Honorary Palme d’Or of this Festival from Francis Ford Coppola. The director-producer, Hollywood monument, 80 years old, moved to tears on stage, had already been acclaimed on his arrival on the red carpet, before the award ceremony. A montage of extracts from the “Star Wars” saga, with cult lines, “May the force be with you”, “I am your father”, was projected in the room.
Best Actor Award for Jesse Plemons in “Kinds of Kindness”
The American Jesse Plemons was awarded the male performance prize for his role in “Kinds of Kindness” by the Greek Yorgos Lanthimos. He was not on stage to collect his prize. In this sketch film, Jesse Plemons, 36, is manipulated by a devious Willem Dafoe: he plays an ordinary executive whose daily routine goes up in smoke when his charismatic boss asks him to commit an irreparable act.
Collective Female Interpretation Prize for “Emilia Perez” by Jacques Audiard
The actresses of Jacques Audiard’s musical “Emilia Perez”, including transgender actress Karla Sofía Gascón, actresses Selena Gomez and Zoe Saldana, received a joint female performance award.
Karla Sofía Gascón, who began her gender transition at 46, is the revelation of this film in which she plays the main role, that of a drug trafficker who feels deeply female and changes gender. She is the first transgender actress to receive this award. She has dedicated his “award to all trans people who suffer”.
Special jury prize to filmmaker Mohammad Rasoulof, who fled Iran
The special jury prize was awarded to filmmaker Mohammad Rasoulof, who fled Iran. He received this prize for his film “The Seeds of the Wild Fig Tree”, after managing to clandestinely flee the mullahs’ regime. The prize is a symbol of support for Iranian artists victims of repression and a consecration for a director who defied censorship for decades before resolving into exile.
Palmares
- Palme d’Or: “Anora”, by American Sean Baker
- Honorary Palme d’Or for Georges Lucas
- Special Jury Prize: filmmaker Mohammad Rasoulof, who fled Iran
- Female Actor Prize: the actresses of “Emilia Perez”, by Jacques Audiard
- Best Actor Award: Jesse Plemons
- Golden Camera: “Armand” by Halfdan Ullmann Tondel, presented in the Un certain regard section
