The 2018 Cannes Film Festival reached its denouement on Saturday evening with the prestigious Palme d’Or up for grabs.
And Japanese director Hirokazu Kore-eda scooped the top award after the Cate Blanchett jury were wowed by his modest masterpiece, Shoplifters.
The 55-year-old veteran filmmaker appeared overwhelmed by his victory, accepting the award in Japanese and dedicating it to the whole production team.
Winner: Japanese director Hirokazu Kore-eda scooped the top prize after the Cate Blanchett jury were wowed by his modest masterpiece Shoplifters
Stars were out in force on the red carpet as the annual extravaganza on the French Riviera drew to a close, with Hirokazu looking dapper in a black suit and bow tie.
Shoplifters is about a small-time thief who takes a young, alone girl home to his family; after seeing scars from abuse, they decide to keep her and raise her as their own.
While many speculated the jury might award only the second Palme d’Or to a film directed by a woman, the most likely contender – Lebanese director Nadine Labaki’s Capernaum – was instead given Cannes’ jury prize.
Moving: Shoplifters is about a small-time thief who takes a young, alone girl home to his family; after seeing scars from abuse, they decide to keep her and raise her as their own
Delighted: The 55-year-old veteran filmmaker appeared overwhelmed by his victory, accepting the award in Japanese and dedicating it to the whole production team
Stealing a kiss: While many speculated the jury might award only the second Palme d’Or to a film directed by a woman, the most likely contender – Lebanese director Nadine Labaki’s ‘Capernaum’ – was instead given Cannes’ jury prize
The film drew a rousing standing ovation but less enthusiastic critic reviews for its tale of a 12-year-old boy living in poverty who sues his parents for neglect.
Meanwhile, Spike Lee’s BlacKkKlansman, the highest profile American film in competition at Cannes, was awarded the grand prize.
The film ignited the French Riviera festival with its true tale of a black police detective who infiltrated the Ku Klux Klan.
Lee connected the film to modern day with real footage from last year’s violent white supremacist march in Charlottesville, Virginia.
‘It blew us out of the cinema,’ said Blanchett of BlacKkKlansman.
The 12-day festival, the first since the downfall of film mogul Harvey Weinstein (for decades an annual fixture in Cannes), was shaken by debate over gender equality in the film industry and at Cannes.
Victorious Meanwhile, Spike Lee’s BlacKkKlansman, the highest profile American film in competition at Cannes, was awarded the grand prize
Saving the day: The film set in the early 1970s follows Ron Stallworth (John David Washington) as the first African-American detective to serve in the Colorado Springs Police Department
In a striking rally, 82 women – the same number of female filmmakers to ever be selected to Cannes competition lineup – stood on the Palais red-carpet steps, as Blanchett said, ‘a symbol of our determination to change and progress.’
Just days later, with Blanchett’s jury looking on, Cannes’ Artistic Director Thierry Fremaux signed a pledge to make the festival’s selection process more transparent and promised other measures to improve the festival’s record of including female filmmakers.
Three of this year’s 21 films in competition were directed by women.
Defiant: With a fist raised high on the red carpet, Italian filmmaker and actress Asia Argento attended the ceremony
Triumphant: The prize for best screenplay was split between Italian writer-director Alice Rohrwacher’s time-warped fable about a poor farm boy in rural Italy
It was also a part of Saturday’s closing ceremony.
With a fist raised high on the red carpet, Italian filmmaker and actress Asia Argento attended the ceremony. Argento claimed Weinstein raped her at the Cannes Film Festival in 1997, with the disgraced music mogul denying all claims.
‘In 1997, I was raped by Harvey Weinstein here at Cannes. I was 21 years old. This festival was his hunting ground,’ said Argento at the ceremony.
‘I want to make a prediction: Harvey Weinstein will never be welcomed here ever again.’
‘And even tonight, sitting among you, there are those who still have to be held accountable for their conduct against women for behavior that does not belong in this industry,’ said Argento. ‘You know who you are. But more importantly, we know who you are. And we’re not going to allow you to get away with it any longer.’
Taking the limelight: The jury clapped head judge Cate as she worked her magic on the red carpet
Chic: The Oscar-winning actress, 49, slipped her incredible figure into a black and red tailored gown as she took to the red carpet with Kristen Stewart
Literary of talent: Wild Pear Tree premiere at the 71st annual Cannes Film Festival
Polish filmmaker Pawel Pawlikowski took best director for his follow-up to the Oscar-winning Ida, Cold War.
Like Ida, Cold War is a black-and-white period film that delves into Polish history. The first Polish film in Cannes’s competition in 37 years, ‘Cold War’ is about an up-and-down romance in post-war Poland and Paris, behind and outside the Soviet Iron Curtain.
Best actress went to Samal Yeslyamova for Kazakh writer-director Sergey Dvortsevoy’s Ayka.
Taking best actor was Marcello Fonte for Matteo Garrone’s Dogman, an award presented by fellow Italian actor Roberto Benigni.
The prize for best screenplay was split between Italian writer-director Alice Rohrwacher’s time-warped fable about a poor farm boy in rural Italy Happy as Lazzaro and Nader Saeivar and Jafar Panahi’s script for Three Faces.
Success: A Palme d’Or Speciale, a special award not previously awarded, was given to Jean-Luc Godard for ‘continually striving to define and refine what cinema can be,’ said Blanchett
Best director: Polish filmmaker Pawel Pawlikowski took best director for his follow-up to the Oscar-winning Ida, Cold War
Overwhelmed: Best actress went to Samal Yeslyamova for Kazakh writer-director Sergey Dvortsevoy’s Ayka
Unveiling: Cast members Oscar Jaenada, Jordi Molla, Rossy De Palma, Olga Kurylenko, Stellan Skarsgard, Adam Driver and Joana Ribeiro stood on the steps ahead of the premiere
A Palme d’Or Speciale, a special award not previously awarded, was given to Jean-Luc Godard for ‘continually striving to define and refine what cinema can be,’ said Blanchett.
Godard’s Image Book is a film essay collage that contemplates the West’s relationship to the Arab world.
The 87-year-old French filmmaking legend called into his Cannes press conference via FaceTime.
Making a stand: The May 8-19 festival, which is the first since the downfall of film mogul Harvey Weinstein over accusations of sexual misconduct by dozens of women, was dominated by the #MeToo movement
The closing ceremony came ahead of the premiere of Terry Gilliam’s The Man Who Killed Don Quixote.
Famously victim to countless delays and debacles, the film took nearly 30 years for Gilliam to complete.
Last year’s Palme d’Or winner was Ruben Ostlund’s The Square, which went on to be nominated for best foreign language film at the Academy Awards.
Star of the show: Cate led this year’s jury, which also included actress Kristen Stewart, Denis Villeneuve, Chang Chen, Ava DuVernay, Lea Seydoux, Kristen Stewart, Khadja Nin, Andrey Zvyagintsev and Robert Guediguian
2018 Cannes Film Festival Winners
Competition
Top winner: Hirokazu Kore-eda scooped the Palme d’Or
Palme d’Or: Shoplifters, Hirokazu Kore-eda
Grand Prix: BlacKkKlansman, Spike Lee
Director: Pawel Pawlikowski, Cold War
Actor: Marcello Fonte, Dogman
Actress: Samal Yeslyamova, Ayka
Jury Prize: Nadine Labaki, Capernaum
Screenplay: Alice Rohrwacher, Happy as Lazzaro AND Jafar Panahi, Nader Saeivar, 3 Faces
Special Palme d’Or: Jean-Luc Godard
Directors’ Fortnight
Tie: Alice Rohrwacher, Happy as Lazzaro AND Jafar Panahi, Nader Saeivar, 3 Faces won Best Screenplay
Art Cinema Award: Climax (Gaspar Noé)
Society of Dramatic Authors and Composers Prize: The Trouble With You (Pierre Salvadori)
Europa Cinemas Label: Lucia’s Grace (Gianni Zanasi)
Illy Short Film Award: Skip Day (Patrick Bresnan, Ivete Lucas)
Un Certain Regard
Proud: Nadine Labaki’s Capernaum was given Cannes’ jury prize
Un Certain Regard Award: Ali Abbasi, Border
Best Director: Sergei Loznitsa, Donbass
Best Performance: Victor Polster, Girl
Best Screenplay: Meryem Benm’Barek, Sofia
Special Jury Prize: João Salaviza & Renée Nader Messora, The Dead and the Others
Critics’ Week
Victory: Pawel Pawlikowski scooped the best Director award for Cold War
Grand Prize: Diamantino (Gabriel Abrantes, Daniel Schmidt)
Society of Dramatic Authors and Composers Prize: Woman at War (Benedikt Erlingsson)
GAN Foundation Award for Distribution: Sir
Louis Roederer Foundation Rising Star Award: Felix Maritaud, Sauvage
Short Film: Hector Malot – The Last Day Of The Year (Jacqueline Lentzou)
Triumphant: Samal Yeslyamova (R) won Best Actress
Other Prizes
Camera d’Or: Girl, Lukas Dhont
Short Films Palme d’Or: All These Creatures, Charles Williams
Short Films Special Mention: On the Border, Shujun Wei
Ecumenical Jury Prize: Capernaum, Nadine Labaki
Ecumenical Jury Special Mention: BlacKkKlansman, Spike Lee
Queer Palm: Girl, Lukas Dhont
Fipresci
Competition: Burning, (Lee Chang-dong)
Un Certain Regard: Girl, (Lukas Dhont)
Directors’ Fortnight/Critics’ Week: One Day (Zsófa Szilagyi)
Best Movie Award
Success: A Palme d’Or Speciale was given to Jean-Luc Godard
First Prize: The Summer of the Electric Lion, Diego Céspedes
Second Prize: Calendar, Igor Poplauhin AND The Storms in Our Blood, Shen Di
Third Prize: Inanimate,”Lucia Bulgheroni