Cannes Film Festival May 21 Report Part Two: And the Winners are...
The prestigious and coveted Palme d'Or went to "The Child," the second golden palm award received by brother directors Luc and Jean-Pierre Dardenne (and their fifth visit to Cannes). The award was presented by Morgan Freeman and Hillary Swank, the co-stars of "Million-Dollar Baby."
In accepting the award, the brothers stated: "Thank you very much! Thanks to all those who participated in this adventure. We would like to especially share this with the lead actors of the film Jérémie Rénier and Déborah François. A big thanks to both of you. Thanks also to our French producer Denis Freyd who was so important to the film. We would like to dedicate this Palme to Florence Aubenas and her chauffeur Hussein who are still held hostage in Iraq."
The big surprise: "The Three Burials Of Melquiades Estrada," Tommy Lee Jones' directorial and Cannes competition debut, cleaned house! Jones won the Best Actor Award, and Guillermo Arriaga earned the film another nod for Best Screenplay.
A tuxedo-draped Jones, looking less the rugged cowboy part he played and more the Harvard grad he is, stated: "Thank you very much. I would like to thank all those who believed in this film, and encouraged me every day. I would like to start with my wife, the people in Northern Mexico and Western Texas, Pierre-Ange Le Pogam, Luc Besson, Chris Mangus and the audience who showed their open spirit at the official screening last evening. Thank you with all my heart!"
The other awards included:
- The Grand Prix went to "Broken Flowers," directed by Jim Jarmusch and starring Bill Murray.
- The Best Actress award was bestowed on Hanna Laslo for her performance in, "Free Zone," also starring Natalie Portman.
- The Best Director award went to Michael Haneke for "Hidden."
- The Prix du Jury, or jury prize, went to "Shanghai Dreams " by Wang Xiaoshuai.
- The Caméra d'Or was a tie between "The Forsaken Land" and "Me And You And Everyone We Know."
- The Short Film award was presented to "Podorozhni," (Wayfarers) by by Igor Strembitskyy. The Short Film Special Mention went to Clara by Van Sowerwine.
- Un Certain Regard went to "Moartea Domnului Lazarescu," ("The Death of Mr. Lazarescu"), directed by Cristi Puiu.
- The Prix de L'Intimité was won by "Le Filmeur," directed by Alain Cavalier.
- The Prix de l'Espoir went to "Delwende," directed by S. Pierre Yameogo.
- The Cinéfondation first prize was awarded to "Buy it Now," by Antonio Campos. Second prizes went to "Vdvoyom," by Nikolay Khomeriki and "Bikur Holim," ("Visiting Hours") by Maya Dreifuss. Third prizes went to "La Plaine," directed by Roland Edzard and "Be Quiet," by Sameh Zoabi
Want to know what the winners were up against? Take a look back at all the fab films in competition on my main Cannes Film Festival 2005 Coverage page.