24/05/2009

Europe triumphed this evening at the 62nd Cannes Film Festival with the Palme d’Or going to Austrian director Michael Haneke (see interview) for The White Ribbon [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Michael Haneke
film profile] (see review), a feature co-produced by Germany, France and Italy. At 67, the director has finally won the Holy Grail of international cinema in his fifth appearance in competition, after receiving the Grand Prize in 2001 and Best Director in 2005.

The Grand Prize went to the other major favourite: A Prophet [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Jacques Audiard
interview: Jacques Audiard and Tahar R…
film profile] (see review) by France’s Jacques Audiard (see interview), which was minority co-produced by Italy.

Europe also swept up the acting awards, with Best Actress going to France’s Charlotte Gainsbourg for her performance in Danish director Lars von Trier’s Antichrist [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Lars von Trier
film profile] and Best Actor to Austria’s Christoph Waltz for his role as a Nazi in US filmmaker Quentin Tarantino’s Inglourious Basterds [+see also:
trailer
film profile], which was co-produced by Germany. Meanwhile, the Special Jury Prize was awarded to French director Alain Resnais (in competition this year with Wild Grass [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile]).

Europe scooped further honours, with the Jury Prize going to the UK’s Andrea Arnold (see interview) for Fish Tank [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Andrea Arnold
film profile] (see review), an award shared with Korean director Park Chan-wook’s Thirst.

And European production was also indirectly lauded, with Best Director going to Philippine filmmaker Brillante Mendoza for Kinatay and Best Screenplay to China’s Mei Feng for Spring Fever, two films co-produced by France.

Finally, the future also belongs to Europe, with the Palme d’Or for Best Short Film going to Portugal’s João Salaviza for Arena, while Australian director Warwick Thornton received the Camera d’Or for Best Debut Feature for Samson and Delilah.

List of prize winners

Palme d´Or
The White Ribbon [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Michael Haneke
film profile]
Michael Haneke (AT)

Grand Prize
A Prophet [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Jacques Audiard
interview: Jacques Audiard and Tahar R…
film profile]
Jacques Audiard (FR)

Best Actress
Charlotte Gainsbourg (FR)
Antichrist [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Lars von Trier
film profile] - Lars von Trier (DK)

Best Actor
Christoph Waltz
Inglourious Basterds [+see also:
trailer
film profile] - Quentin Tarantino (US)

Jury Special Prize
Alain Resnais

Best Director
Brillante Mendoza
Kinatay (PH)

Best Screenplay
Mei Feng
Spring Fever de Lou Ye (CN)

Jury Prize - ex-aequo
Fish Tank [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Andrea Arnold
film profile]
Andrea Arnold (UK)
Thirst
Park Chan-wook (KR)

Caméra d´Or
Samson and Delilah
Warwick Thornton (AU)
Special Mention
Caméra d´Or
Ajami
Scandar Copti (IL) / Yaron Shani (PS)

Palme d´Or for Best Short Film
Arena
João Salaviza (PT)
Special Mention
Best Short Film
The Six Dollars Fifty Man
Mark Albiston & Louis Sutherland (NZ)

(Translated from French)