Cannes Film Festival 2024: Winners and Surprises of the 77th Edition

Jury Prize to ‘Emilia Perez’ by Jacques Audiard: The Musical That Conquers the Cannes Film Festival

Cannes, May 25, 2024 – The 77th edition of the Cannes Film Festival concluded with the victory of the Palme d’Or going to “Anora” by the American director Sean Baker. The comedy follows the story of Anora, portrayed by Mikey Madison, a sex worker from New York, and her tumultuous relationship with Ivan, a young Russian from an oligarchic family, played by Mark Eydelshteyn.

The Jury Prize was awarded to “Emilia Perez,” a musical by the French director Jacques Audiard. The film depicts the story of a lawyer from Mexico City hired by the leader of a drug trafficking gang to help him leave the country and undergo gender reassignment surgery. Actresses Selena Gomez, Zoe Saldaña, Karla Sofía Gascón, and Adriana Paz, who starred in the film, shared the award for Best Actress.

Jesse Plemons received the Best Actor award for his performance in “Kinds of Kindness,” the latest work by the Greek director Yorgos Lanthimos. The Grand Prix of the Jury went to “All We Imagine as Light” by Payal Kapadia, a 38-year-old Indian director, exploring the intricate relationships of two nurses in Mumbai.

The Special Jury Prize was given to “The Sacred Fig Seed” by the Iranian director Mohammad Rasoulof. This drama depicts the life of a judge in Tehran during a period of political turmoil. Rasoulof recently fled Iran after being sentenced to severe penalties, including flogging and five years in prison, for his cinematically deemed subversive works.

Coralie Fargeat, a French director and screenwriter, won the award for Best Screenplay with “The Substance,” a body horror featuring Demi Moore and Margaret Qualley. The film delves into the story of a declining actress undergoing therapy to achieve a younger and perfect version of herself, creating a haunting double that emerges from her back.

The award for Best Director was claimed by the Portuguese Miguel Gomez for “Grand Tour.” The film follows the adventures of Edward, a British Empire official played by Gonçalo Waddington, who flees from his bride, Molly, played by Crista Alfaiate, on their wedding day, sparking a tumultuous journey across Europe.

Despite expectations, “Megalopolis” by Francis Ford Coppola and “Parthenope” by Paolo Sorrentino did not receive recognition. However, the Italian director Roberto Minervini won the Best Director award in the “Un Certain Regard” section with “The Damned.”

The jury for this edition, chaired by the American director Greta Gerwig, consisted of prominent figures from the world of cinema and art: the Turkish photographer Ebru Ceylan, the American actress Lily Gladstone, the French actress Eva Green, the Lebanese director Nadine Labaki, the Spanish director Juan Antonio Bayona, the Italian actor Pierfrancesco Favino, the Japanese director Kore-eda Hirokazu, and the French actor Omar Sy.

Cannes 2024 thus celebrated a variety of works spanning different genres and themes, reaffirming the festival as a vital stage for world cinema.

ARTICOLO DISPONIBILE IN LINGUA ITALIANA: FESTIVAL DI CANNES 2024: i vincitori e le sorprese della 77ª Edizione