Cannes: an “indisputable” Palme d’Or for a “disappointing” festival

“Ultimately, it was about love at Cannes this year, and the Palme d’Or went to a love story that, in a mysterious and delicate way, dynamites the idea of ​​Cinderella romance. , while believing in it as hard as iron », summary The Guardian.

Directed by the American Sean Baker – whose “Red Rocket” had already had the honors of the official Cannes selection in 2021 – “Anora” describes the vagaries of the relationship between a young stripper and the son of a Russian oligarch. “A sort of hilarious ‘Pretty woman’” whose victory remains “surprising”, For The Corriere della Sera, “given zero tolerance for comedy at festivals.”

But this “first Palm won by an American filmmaker since Terrence Malick’s The Tree of Life in 2011” had obtained “a great success” during its projection, underlines the Los Angeles Times. And like the four previous Palme d’Ors, it benefited from the support of the American independent distributor Neon – the new kingmaker in Hollywood.

The victory of“Anora” East “indisputable”, adds El País. “As the president of the jury, (the American) Greta Gerwig, recalled, it is a transformative film, overflowing with humanity, a film filled with hope which broke the hearts of the jury and the majority of professionals accredited in Cannes ».

No “big, flamboyant films”

Sean Baker, 53, also won over the audience at the closing ceremony by delivering a plea for cinema in theaters. “We have to fight to make films that come out in theaters”where we share “ sadness, fear, laughter”, did he declare. “The world needs to remember that watching a movie on your cell phone or at home is not the (correct) way to watch movies”he added.

For The weather, Cannes 2024 was “relatively stingy with big, flamboyant films that will mark their time”but the jury nevertheless “delivered a fine, political and committed track record, reflecting in particular the preponderant place that women finally occupy in the world of cinema and in society, even if this year only four female directors were invited to the competition.”

It was a public edition ” split “where there was “no obvious favorite”and or “only a few films” have been “universally praised by critics”, considers for its part The Hollywood Reporter. Among the latter, “The seeds of the wild fig tree” by the Iranian Mohammad Rasoulof, who left with a special, tailor-made price, apart from the usual prices.

A decision who crumpled The eveninglike a list of winners that lacked “radicality”. “By creating a Special Jury Prize for the film, we have the impression that the jury has reached an impasse. We feel that this award is above all political rather than artistic”writes the Brussels title.

“It’s a way of saluting the courage of the director to have made this protest film which demands freedom against all odds, to the point of paying a high price, but what about his undeniable talent as an author ? Placing him at the top of the list would have been a radical act, a stinging slap in the face to the Mullahs and any despotic regime.”adds the daily.

” A star Is Born “

An opinion shared by La Libre Belgiquewho considers that the jury is “almost missed the big film of the fortnight”. Friday, after the screening, “everyone predicted the Palme” to Mohammad Rasoulof, who “finally settled for a consolation prize, a special jury prize created for the occasion. The disappointment is total”.

One prize seems to have been unanimous, however: that of the female interpretation, awarded to the actresses of the musical by Jacques Audiard “Emilia Pérez”. Among them, the Spaniard Karla Sofía Gascón, the first transsexual actress awarded at Cannes, who gave a speech “volcanic”REMARK El País.

She dedicated her prize “to all trans people, who put up with so much crap every day”. Both moved and vehement, she warned that “Tomorrow this news will be the subject of lots of horrible comments from horrible people saying terrible things about us. But we all have the opportunity to become better people. So we’ll see if you decide to change, motherfuckers! ».

A speech who won over the public and El Mundo. “The time has come to say it”writes the Spanish daily. “We are a little ashamed of the cliché expression, the lack of imagination, the commonplace…. But we cannot do otherwise. A star Is Born. There it is, it is said”.