Unexpected Triumph at Cannes: Fjord Claims the Palme d’Or Amid Festival Surprises

At the recent Cannes screening, an unexpected shift occurred when Cristian Mungiu’s Fjord ascended to the festival’s highest honor. Many had predicted that the films Coward and La Bola Negra would dominate the Palm d’Or battle, but events unfolded in a surprising manner.

Over 30 critics we consulted at Cannes had placed Coward and La Bola Negra at the top of their lists for potential winners. In a twist that left many astonished, both films ultimately received distinguished awards in secondary categories, clearing the way for Fjord to secure the Palme d’Or at the 79th edition.

Additional accolades were distributed across various sections of the festival. Andreï Zviaguintsev’s Minotaur received the Grand Prix, while the best director recognition was shared between the teams behind La Bola Negra and Fatherland—with Pawel Pawlikowski acknowledged for his work on Fatherland. On the acting front, awards were presented in pairs, with Emmanuel Macchia and Valentin Campagne recognized for their male roles, and Virginie Efira alongside Tao Okamoto honored for their female performances.

Below is the complete breakdown of the awards presented:

• Feature Films
  • Palme d’or
  • Grand Prix
  • Best Director Prize (ex-æquo)
    • Pawel Pawlikowski for Fatherland
  • Best Screenplay
  • Jury Prize
  • Best Performance for an Actress
  • Best Performance for an Actor
• Short Films
  • Palme d’or
  • Un Certain Regard
  • Un Certain Regard Prize
  • Jury Prize
  • Special Jury Prize
  • Best Actor
  • Best Actresses
  • Caméra d’or
  • Caméra d’or Prize
  • La Cinef
    • First Prize
    • Second Prize
    • Growing Stones, Flying Papers—a film helmed by Roozbeh Gezerseh and Soraya Shamsi from Filmuniversität—earned a shared Third Prize Babelsberg Konrad Wolf, Allemagne)

Following our attendance at the 79th Festival de Cannes, detailed reviews on films such as Fatherland, Notable examples include Coward, La Bola Negra, as well as Histoires de la Nuit (also known as The Birthday Party) will be available along with our live impressions and additional insights from the event.