Theemotionally-chargedclosing ceremony wrappedup an unusualfestival,which contained a mix of politicalreferencestocurrent conflictsand a host of stories from a LGBTQ+ perspective.
After 11days of discovery,surprisesand debates over the merits of each of the 22 films in competition, thenine-member juryrendered its verdict.
We chose thisfilmbecause of its capacity to address the theme of diversity,Jury President Park Chan-Wook told the audience gathered at the Grand Theatre Lumire in Cannes.
A very loud round of applause erupted when the Palme dOr was attributed to Fjord, by Romanian director Cristian Mungiu his second after4 Months, 3 Weeks and 2 Daysin2007.
In Fjord, aRomanian-Norwegianfamily settles into a small towninNorwaybut faces the suspicions of the community over their religious practices. Accused of mistreating theirchildrenthey undertake a legal battle tomaintaincustody.
The state of the world is not the best, Im not very proud with what were leaving to our kids,Mungiusaid. The change must start with us.Todaythe societyis split. This film is a pledge against fundamentalism. We need to apply lovely words like tolerance more often.
Park Chan-wook, Jury President of the 79th Cannes Film Festival, and jury members Demi Moore, Ruth Negga, Laura Wandel, Chloe Zhao, Diego Cespedes, Isaach De Bankole, Paul Laverty, Stellan Skarsgard pose on the red carpet to attend the closing ceremony of the 79th Cannes Film Festival in Cannes, France, 23 May 2026.
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A host of celebrities were on hand to present prizes like Tilda Swinton, ZoeSaldana and Isabelle Huppert - who presented the Honorary Palme dOr toBarbra Streisand. Unable to attend the ceremony in person, the American starsent a video message.
Dressed in a long sparkling red gown, Geena Davis laughed as she recounted being surprised to see her face on all the posters around town. She introduced the Best Actor award which was presented jointly to the leadstarsin Coward, by Belgian directorandCannesregularLukas Dhont.
Emmanuel Macchia and Valentin Campagne could barelycontaintheir excitement as they came on stage to accept the trophy urgungthe audience to dance, tolive,to love even when times are tough. The First World War dramafollowsmusical hallperformers charged with lifting themoralof the troops in the trenches.
Scen din filmul "Minotaur" de Andrei Zviaghintev.
Best directorwent jointly to the Spanish duoJavierCalvoand JavierAmbrossiforLa Bola Negra - astory of gay men coming out during the Spanish civil war andPawel Pawlikowski on Fatherland. This dark piece about trauma asseen through the eyes of German writer Thomas Mann and his family in the wake ofWorld War II.
We live and breathepoliticsandit takes courage to resist bullies and noise,algorithmsand peer pressure, Pawlikowskisaid, encouraging artists to be authentic in their storytelling.
The role of the French Vichy government during the second world war wasatthecentreof theFrenchfilm A man of his time, which wonBest ScreenplayforEmmanuel Marrewho castigated those bullies who destroy liveswithout mentioningnames.
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Alsomaking referenceto bullieswasGrand Prixwinner Andrei Zviaguintsev, whose film Minotaur tackles the issue of war conscription against the backdrop oftheUkraineconflict. The exiled directortook a swipe at the President of the Russian Federation who is the only one who can stop these massacres.
The Jury Prize went toThe Dreamed Adventure by German director ValeskaGrisebach, who spoke of the women in the Bulgarian village where her film was set, acknoledged their empathy and openness.
The prize for Bestactresswas shared between French woman Virginie Effira and Japanese co-star Tao Okamoto, who appeared in Ryusuke Hamaguchis film All of a Sudden.
The Short Film prize went toPara LosContrincantes(For the Opponents) directed by Federico Luis.
The Camera dOr for first feature wenttoBenImanadirected by Rwandan director Marie-ClmentineDusabejambo, from the Un Certain Regard section.
The Un Certain Regard jury handed out their awards on Friday night, with the top prize going to Sandra WollnersEverytime.
Read more about the Cannes Film Festival prizes here.
Originally published on RFI
