Cannes

After 12 days of movie madness, Cannes has finally settled back into its usual pace. That’s to say, the masses have returned home, the late night beach parties have vanished, and the chance of spotting Leonardo DiCaprio on the Croisette has dropped considerably.

It was a festival marked by an impressive selection of films and a surprise Palme d’Or, though the constant threat of rain might last in the memories of some attendees.  

The opening night was a less than perfect start, as thousands had to hide under their umbrellas in the pouring rain in a hopeful bid to see the cast of Baz Lurhman’s The Great Gatsby. The rain visited a few more times throughout the week, and it certainly caused a few headaches Saturday, when parties like the Hunger Games: Catching Fire soirée had to cancel a few of their planned outdoor stunts.

Opening films The Great Gatsby and Sofia Coppola’s The Bling Ring in Un Certain Regard failed to make a big splash, and it wasn’t until Friday that the festival saw its first big success in the form of the Asghar Farhadi’s family drama, Le Passé, which went on to win a best actress prize for Bérénice Bejo. Other notable successes included Inside Llewyn Davis, the latest offering to the festival by the Coen Brothers about an American folk musician in the ‘60s, and the eventual winner of the Palme d’Or, La Vie d'Adele - Chapitre 1 & 2.

Abdellatif Kechiche’s film of a lesbian couple drew rave reviews, despite its nearly three-hour runtime and long, explicit sex scenes which may impede its commercial viability and international distribution.

LIST OF WINNERS:

Palme d'Or (Best Film)

La Vie d'Adele - Chapitre 1 & 2 ("Blue is the Warmest Colour") by Abdellatif Kechiche (France)

Grand Prix (Runner-up)

Inside Llewyn Davis by Ethan and Joel Coen (U.S.)

Jury Prize (Third Prize)

Soshite Chichi Ni Naru ("Like Father, Like Son") by Kore-Eda Hirokazu (Japan)

Camera d'Or (Debut Film)

Ilo Ilo by Anthony Chen (Singapore)

Best Director

Heli by Amat Escalante (Mexico)

Best Screenplay

Tian Zhu Ding (A Touch of Sin) by Jia Zhangke (China)

Best Actress

Bérénice Bejo in Le Passé ("The Past") (France)

Best Actor

Bruce Dern in Nebraska (U.S.)

by Caroline Meintzer