Last year's awards was always going to be a tough act to follow, in which all the right films were rewarded (in my humble opinion!) and with a Palme d'or that went on to win the Oscar for best film, repeating Parasite's feat a mere few years later (although Sean Baker seemed more excited about winning the former than the latter). It seems like the bad memory of the last truly disastrous awards (2016, a year seared in the memories of Cannes attendees) is far behind us and this year, Juliette Binoche and her jury gave us a honourable list of awards.The jury prizes awarded ex-aequo to Sirat by Oliver Laxe and Sound of Falling by Mascha Schilinski felt right. They were ambitious, formally daring and two critics' favourites. After some notable first films, the Spanish director truly soared with Sirat, a sensory and cinematic experience like no other. Some were expecting a higher prize for the German film, Sound of Falling (rumour has it it was offered a slot in Berlin but held off for Cannes) but it's a demanding, unusual film that has most likely divided the jury.
The best script for the Dardennes baffled some as they have not quite matched the critical reception of their earlier work and yet they seem to always find an unexpected space on the awards but their days of a double Palme win seem far away.
The double award for best director and best actor for The Secret Agent was an inspired decision. Wagner Moura's magnetic, precise yet effortless performance in which he exudes an old-school masculinity and film star quality is not always the kind to be noticed in favour of flashier ones, which makes it all the more exciting. As for former film critic and one of the best current director Kleber Mendonça Filho (who was in the jury in 2019), it is truly deserved for a rich, fantastic film and without doubt the best directed of the competition.
The order of the Grand Jury Prize and the Palme d'Or surprised some. Sentimental Value was a clear favourite for most and. the top prize is usually given to a more mainstream film but in the end the strength of the political message behind It Was Just an Accident on top of its own strengths clinched the deal. While not just an issue film, the jury probably wanted did not want to be seen to be in a bubble, oblivious to the tragedies of the world. It is a crowning achievement for Jafar Panahi and a testament to his courage, as a man who has suffered so much from the hands of the Iranian regime with bans, travel restrictions and various other threats.
It is interesting how Venice had long been seen as the festival to be for Oscars hopefuls and yet that tide is turning. Stuck among other autumn festivals vying for attention, it does not seem to command the same place as it once did. Cannes on the other hand has the benefit of having a clear space with no competition in spring and while the long stretch to the Oscars season seemed an issue, it has since worked in its favour. Indeed this year three competition films ended up as nominees for best films and pundits have already started guessing which of the awarded films this year will follow.
The full list of awards:
Palme d’Or: It Was Just an Accident — Jafar Panahi
Grand Prix: Sentimental Value — Joachim Trier
Jury Prize (tie): Sirât — Oliver Laxe; Sound of Falling — Mascha Schilinski
Best Director: Kleber Mendonça Filho — The Secret Agent
Best Screenplay: Jean-Pierre Dardenne & Luc Dardenne — Young Mothers
Best Actress: Nadia Melliti — The Little Sister
Best Actor: Wagner Moura — The Secret Agent
Special Award: Resurrection — Bi Gan
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