Film lovers the world overlook forward to the winners of the Cannes Film Festival. This year’s winners featured some surprises, new faces, and disappointments.
The awards cover a broad spectrum of film genres and topics. One aspect stood out this year, women’s representation both on-screen and as filmmakers.
The festival judges films from all over the world, often by unknown directors. These awards catapult careers and expand fandom. Unlike Hollywood’s Oscar awards, which go to films already distributed, the Cannes Film Festival screens never before seen entries.
For film lovers, like me, the awards open up a world of viewing, especially if you don’t mind subtitles for films created in another language.
2024 Cannes Film Festival Winners Set New Standards in Filmmaking
This is the 77th year of the Cannes Film Festival. Over the years, the categories have expanded to include a variety of film types and mediums as well as awarding directors and new talent.
Here’s a list of this year’s awards.
Palme d’Or: “Anora,” Sean Baker
Grand Prix: “All We Imagine as Light,” Payal Kapadia
Director: Miguel Gomes, “Grand Tour”
Actor: Jesse Plemons, “Kinds of Kindness.”
Actresses: “Emilia Pérez”
Jury Prize: “Emilia Pérez”
Special Award (Prix Spécial): Mohammad Rasoulof, “The Seed of the Sacred Fig”
Screenplay: Coralie Fargeat, “The Substance”
OTHER PRIZES
Camera d’Or: “Armand,” Halfdan Ullman Tondel
Camera d’Or Special Mention: “Mongrel,” Chiang Wei Liang, You Qiao Yin
Short Film Palme d’Or: “The Man Who Could Not Remain Silent,” Nebojša Slijepčević
Short Film Special Mention: “Bad for a Moment,” Daniel Soares
Golden Eye Documentary Prize: “Ernest Cole: Lost and Found” and “The Brink of Dreams”
Queer Palm: “Three Kilometers to the End of the World”
Palme Dog: Kodi, “Palm Dog”
FIPRESCI Award (Competition): “The Seed of the Sacred Fig,” Mohammad Rasoulof
FIPRESCI Award (Un Certain Regard): “The Story of Souleymane,” Boris Lojkine
FIPRESCI Award (Parallel Sections): “Desert of Namibia,” Yoko Yamanaka
UN CERTAIN REGARD
Un Certain Regard Award: “Black Dog,” Guan Hu
Jury Prize: “The Story of Souleymane,” Boris Lojkine
Best Director Prize: (ex aequo) “The Damned,” Roberto Minervini; “On Becoming a Guinea Fowl,” Rungano Nyoni
Performance Awards: “The Shameless,” Anasuya Sengupta; “The Story of Souleymane,” Abou Sangare
Youth Prize: “Holy Cow! (Vingt Dieux),” Louise Courvoisier
Special Mention: “Norah,” Tawfik Alzaidi
DIRECTORS’ FORTNIGHT
Europa Cinemas Label: “The Other Way Around,” Jonás Trueba
Society of Dramatic Authors and Composers Prize: “This Life of Mine,” Sophie Fillières
Audience Choice Award: “Universal Language,” Matthew Rankin
CRITICS’ WEEK
Grand Prize: “Simon of the Mountain,” Federico Luis
French Touch Prize: “Blue Sun Palace,” Constance Tsang
GAN Foundation Award for Distribution: Jour2Fête, “Julie Keeps Quiet”
Louis Roederer Foundation Rising Star Award: Ricardo Teodoro, “Baby”
Leitz Cine Discovery Prize (short film): “Guil Sela,” Montsouris Park
Notable 2024 Cannes Awards
As a prelude to the top prize presentation, George Lucas‘ close collaborator, Francis Ford Coppola, took the initiative and honored Lucas with the prestigious Honorary Palme d’Or, a testament to their enduring mentorship and friendship.
The New York-set romantic dramedy Anora, directed by Sean Baker, was awarded the prestigious Palme d’Or, the highest honor at the Cannes Film Festival. This marked Baker’s second time in the competition after 2021’s Red Rocket,
In 2011, Terrence Malick won the Palme d’Or for The Tree of Life, making Baker the first American filmmaker to take home the festival’s top prize since then.
Payal Kapadia, the acclaimed Indian filmmaker, received the prestigious Grand Prix at the festival for her remarkable film “All We Imagine as Light.” Notably, this marks a historic milestone, as it is the first time an Indian film has been selected for competition in three decades.
Wonder and Women
In its 77th year, the Cannes Film Festival, recognized women in unique roles in film, as directors, and the Queer Palm’s goal to acknowledge the unrepresented. These are strong gains for women in a historically male-dominated industry. Whatever your taste in film, you are sure to find something entertaining and even thought-provoking among the winners.
About The Author
Zara Altair is a writer and author of historical mysteries set in 6th Century Italy. She is passionate about books, film, film history, and sharing her knowledge with others. Engage with Zara, her educational insights, and her tips for fellow writers by following her on X(Twitter) and Threads.
Zara is a seasoned journalist and accomplished writer with deep expertise spanning entertainment, literature, film writing, neuroscience, and health. Zara blends critical analysis with a profound passion for storytelling.