The Cannes Film Festival concluded with a bang as the prestigious Palme d’Or was awarded to the American director Sean Baker for his film “Anora.” The film, a giddily ribald picaresque, follows the story of a sex worker who marries the son of a Russian oligarch, leading to a series of messy and unpredictable events.
Critics have praised the film for its nonjudgmental attitude towards its protagonist, played by Mikey Madison in a breakthrough performance. George Lucas, who received an honorary award at the ceremony, presented the Palme d’Or to Baker, who dedicated the award to sex workers past, present, and future.
The ceremony, held at the Grand Lumière Theater, opened with a spoof of the original “Star Wars” crawl, setting a playful tone for the evening. The applause was deafening when Lucas took the stage to receive his award, presented by his longtime friend Francis Ford Coppola.
Other notable winners included the Iranian tragedy “The Seed of the Sacred Fig,” which received a special award from the jury, and the Indian drama “All We Imagine as Light,” which won the Grand Prix. Jesse Plemons took home the award for best actor for his role in “Kinds of Kindness,” while Jacques Audiard’s “Emilia Pérez” won the jury prize and best actress.
The Portuguese filmmaker Miguel Gomes was awarded best director for “Grand Tour,” a unique exploration of postcolonialism. The screenplay award went to “The Substance,” a horror film starring Demi Moore, and the Camera d’Or prize for best first feature went to “Armand,” a psychological thriller from Norwegian director Halfdan Ullmann Tondel.
Despite rumors of protests and scandals leading up to the festival, the focus remained on the films themselves, showcasing the talent and creativity of filmmakers from around the world. Cannes once again proved to be a celebration of cinema at its finest.
