THE CANNES 2023 FILM FESTIVAL WRAP-UP

MAY 27, 2023

Awards for the in competition films of the 76th Cannes Film Festival were announced live in Cannes at the Grand Palais theater today where Justine Triet’s Anatomy of a Fall (France) won the Palme d’Or, the top prize of the festival.  Triet becomes just the third female director to win the Palme d'Or.  Here are all the winners:

• Palme d'Or: Anatomy of a Fall (France) by Justine Triet
• Grand Prize: The Zone of Interest (UK/Poland) by Jonathan Glazer
• Jury Prize: Fallen Leaves (Finland) by Aki Kaurismäki
• Director: The Pot-au-Feu (France) by Tran Anh Hung
• Actor: Koji Yakusho - Perfect Days (Japan) 
• Actress: Merve Dizdar - About Dry Grasses (Turkey)
• Screenplay: Monster (Japan)

(Chile - The Settlers)

Last year, 9 of the top 15 shortlisted films debuted at the prestigious Cannes Film Festival so we've been paying a lot of attention at the films that were well received this year.  We've picked ten films right now that are solid contenders, if chosen by their countries.  They are the following:

• The Delinquents (Argentina) - Metacritic: 92
• The Settlers (Chile) - Metacritic: 82
• Fallen Leaves (Finland) - Metacritic: 79
• The Pot-au-Feu (France) - Metacritic: 83
• La Chimera (Italy) - Metacritic: 90
• Monster (Japan) - Metracritic: 80
• The Zone of Interest (Poland/UK) - Metacritic: 98
• Close Your Eyes (Spain) - Metacritic: 86
• Four Daughters (Tunisia) - Metacritic: 78
• About Dry Grasses (Turkey) - Metacritic: 80

Other films that could be submitted by their countries are the following:

• ​The King of Algiers (Algeria)
• The Experience of Love (Belgium)
• Power Alley (Brazil)
• Pierrette (Cameroon)
• Nature of Love (Canada)
• Only the River Flows (China)
• Omen (Democratic Republic of Congo)
• Blackbird Blackbird Blackberry (Georgia)
• Terrestrial Verses (Iran)
• Inshallah a Boy (Jordan)
• Conann (Luxembourg)
• Tiger Stripes (Malaysia)
• If Only I Could Hibernate (Mongolia)
• The Mother of all Lies (Morocco)
• In Flames (Pakistan)
• Legua (Portugal)
• Grace (Russia)
• Banel and Adama (Senegal)
• Lost Country (Serbia)
• The Breaking Ice (Singapore)
• Cobweb (South Korea)
• Goodbye Julia (Sudan)
• Inside the Yellow Cocoon Shell (Vietnam)

(France - Anatomy of a Fall)

Now so far we've completely ignored Anatomy of a Fall.  It looks like a clear frontrunner for France, but the film is 50% in English, so we're, at the moment, not even sure if it'll be eligible.  And, even if it is eligible, France may not want to submit a film that has a lot of English in it.  So who else can be submitted for France?  Well, The Pot-au-Feu seems like the current frontrunner for them.  They also have The Goldman Case, The Book of Solutions, Vincent Must Die, The Animal Kingdom, Just the Two of Us and so many more. 

The other battle that's emerging is Japan.  They have two very well received films in Monster and Perfect Days.  Both films would be an excellent choice for them.  We're at the moment leaning towards Monster being chosen for them.

For now, the Cannes Film Festival is just the beginning for the International Feature category.  Let's see what happens next.