Palme d’Or Winner: “Fjord”

The film “Fjord,” directed by Romanian filmmaker Cristian Mungiu, received the Palme d’Or, the highest award at the 79th Cannes International Film Festival. Mungiu previously won the Palme d’Or in 2007 for “4 Months, 2 Weeks and 2 Days,” making this his second victory.

Jury Prize and Best Actor: Shared Awards

The Jury Prize was awarded to “Minotaur” by Russian director Andrey Zvyagintsev. Set in Russia in 2022, the film depicts a successful CEO whose life is disrupted as he becomes entangled in internal and external turmoil, blending dramatic and suspenseful elements. The Director Prize was shared by Javier Ambrosi and Javier Calvo for “La Balla Negra” from Spain, and Paweł Pawlikowski for “Fatherland” from Poland. “La Balla Negra” tells the story of three men living in 1932, 1937, and 2017, connected by desire and trauma.

Best Actor and Best Actress: Shared Winners

The Best Actor award was shared by Emmanuel Macia and Valentin Campagne, the lead actors of the Belgian film “Ca$hword.” “Ca$hword” explores the story of soldiers who organize a theater performance on the front lines as World War I drags on. The Best Actress award was shared by Virginie Efira and Tao Okamoto from the Japanese film “All of Us Are Dead.” Set in 1940s Japan, the film features the two actors hugging each other on the award stage, just as in a scene from the movie, as they received applause.

Na Hong-jin’s “Hope” Fails to Win an Award

Among Korean films, Na Hong-jin’s “Hope,” which entered the Cannes competition for the first time in four years, did not make it onto the award list. Through his distributor Plus M Entertainment, Na Hong-jin stated, “The most important thing right now is the approximately two months left before meeting Korean audiences.” He added, “I will focus on improving the quality of the film as much as possible during the time remaining until its release.”

Honorary Palme d’Or and Other Winners

Singer and actress Barbra Streisand received the Honorary Palme d’Or for her contributions to cinema. In a tribute video, she said, “Film has a magical power that brings us together and opens our hearts.” The Best Screenplay award went to Emmanuel Maret for the French film “Notre Sauveur.” Set under the Vichy French regime in the 1940s, the film portrays a civil servant gradually becoming part of the regime’s machinery. The director wrote the screenplay based on letters from his great-grandfather, who was actually a civil servant in the Vichy government.