by Nathaniel R
Cannes closing ceremony is later today but we have the first round of winners from the sidebars, official and otherwise. So let's get right to it...
UN CERTAIN REGARD
The jury led by Benicio del Toro watched 18 films and gave their top prize to the film Border about a Swedish customs officer who becomes attracted to the man she's investigating. It's already been picked up for US distribution by Neon who made quite a splash last year as the new cool distribution company (I Tonya, Ingrid Goes West, etcetera).
Un Certain Regard Award: Ali Abbasi, Border
Both lead actors are wearing what looks like prosthetic makeup in film that we hear has "troll sex" in it so hmmm. Apparently it is part horror film, part allegorical drama?
Best Director: Sergei Loznitsa, Donbass
Loznita, previously a regular in the main competition, just a sidebar feature this year. Strange.
Best Performance: Viktor Polster, Girl
The Belgian teen plays a trans ballerina -- this award already being controversial since the actor is not trans -- but the part required professional dancing skill goes the reasoning behind his casting.
Best Screenplay: Meryem Benm’Barek, Sofia
A Moroccan film about a woman facing arrest for bearing a child out of wedlock
Special Jury Prize: João Salaviza and Renée Nader Messora, The Dead and the Others
Said to be a "visually ravishing" film about Brazilian mythology and indigenous traditions.
CINEFONDATION
French director Bertrand Bonello presided over this jury which honors short films
1st Prize: Diego Céspedes, The Summer of The Electric Lion
2nd Prize [TIE]: Igor Poplauhin, Calendar and Shen Di, The Storms in Our Blood
3rd Prize: Lucia Bulgheroni, Inanimate
CRITICS WEEK
Our favorite Norwegian director Joachim Trier led the jury which also featured actors Chloe Sevigny and Nahuel Perez Biscayart (BPM), new Vienna film festival director Eva Sangiorgi and French journalist Augustin Trapenard.
Nespresso Grand Prize Gabriel Abrantes and Daniel Schmidt's Diamantino
I refuse to read reviews of this apparently bizarre Portuguese film because Guy Lodge who calls it "lovably ludicrous" opens his review like this:
Part loopily queer sci-fi thriller, part faux-naive political rallying cry, glued together with candyfloss clouds of romantic reverie, it’s a film best seen with as little forewarning as possible
The only other thing I know about it is the lead actor is hot and the film features poodles in some capacity. That's enough for me.
SACD Prize (Screenplay): Benedikt Erlingsson's Woman at War
I loved this director's strange and exciting debut film Of Horses and Men so I'm so excited to see this film about an environmental activist fighting the aluminum industry
Gans Foundation Award (For Distribution): Rohena Gara's Sir
Felix Maritaud plays a gay hustler in "Sauvage"
Louis Roedere Foundation Rising Star Felix Maritaud in Sauvage
Short Film Cine Discovery: Jacqueline Lentzou's Hector Malot: The Last Day of the Year
Short Film Canal Plus: Elias Belkedder's A Wedding Day
QUEER PALM
French producer Sylvie Palat (Stranger by the Lake, Timbuktu) presided over the Jury. Longtime friend of TFE Boyd Van Hoeij was on the jury this year, too. Hi Boyd! The Queer Palm watches all the LGBT films from all of the various sections of the festival including two from the Main Competition Lineup (Knife + Heart, Sorry Angel).
"Girl" from Belgium was a hit at Cannes
Queer Palm Lukas Dhont, Girl
The Belgian film about a trans ballerina wins again.
Short Film Carolina Markowicz, The Orphan
This is about a boy whose adoptive parents return him because he's effeminate.
PALM DOG
Another celebrated not-technically-official sidebar. Each year they pick a favorite dog from the Cannes selection. Competition was reportedly stiff this year.
the great Dane from "Dogman" was expected to win but the movie's chihuahua took the prize instead
Palm Dog Joy the chihuahua in Dogman
Jury Prize: The poodles in Diamantino
SO CUTE!
We'll find out the remainder of the awards later today from the final two juries. The Camera D'Or jury (best first film essentially) presided over by Director Ursula Meier, and the Competition jury, presided over by Cate Blanchett.