‘Blue is the Warmest Color’ wins Palme d’Or at Cannes, Coens take second place

CANNES – There were those who suggested that a Cannes jury headed by Steven Spielberg might be responsible for a lot of safe choices, but the Hollywood legend sure proved us wrong. Not only did did he present the Palme d’Or to “Blue is the Warmest Color,” Abdellatif Kechiche’s edgy, erotic epic about first lesbian love, but he also made history by handing the award jointly to Kechiche and the film’s two young stars — an unprecedented move that brazenly dodges the festival’s recent, restrictive rule that the winner of the top prize can’t also take an acting award.

The Coen Brothers took the runner-up Grand Prix — their fifth Cannes win — for the critically beloved “Inside Llewyn Davis,” while other winners in a diverse slate included controversial Mexican drama “Heli” and violent Chinese social allegory “A Touch of Sin.” Acting awards — the official ones, at any rate — went to two relatively big names: Bérénice Bejo for “The Past” and Bruce Dern for “Nebraska.”

More analysis to come; full list of winners below.

COMPETITION AWARDS

Palme d’Or: “Blue is the Warmest Color,” Abdellatif Kechiche, Adele Exarchopoulos and Lea Seydoux

Grand Jury Prize: “Inside Llewyn Davis,” Joel and Ethan Coen

Best Director: Amat Escalante, “Heli”

Jury Prize: “Like Father, Like Son,” Hirokazu Kore-eda

Best Screenplay: Jia Zhangke, “A Touch of Sin”

Best Actress: Bérénice Bejo, “The Past”

Best Actor: Bruce Dern, “Nebraska”

Camera d’Or (Best Debut Feature): “Ilo Ilo,” Anthony Chen 

Palme d’Or (Short Film): “Safe,” Moon Byoung-gon

UN CERTAIN REGARD AWARDS

Prix Un Certain Regard: “The Missing Picture,” Rithy Panh

Jury Prize: “Omar,” Hany Abu-Assad

Best Director: Alain Guiraudie, “Stranger by the Lake”

Talent Award: Ensemble cast of “La Jaula de Oro”

Avenir Future Award: “Fruitvale Station,” Ryan Coogler 

FIPRESCI AWARDS

Competition: “Blue is the Warmest Color,” Abdellatif Kechiche

Un Certain Regard: “Manuscripts Don’t Burn,” Mohammad Rasoulof

Directors’ Fortnight or Critics’ Week: “Blue Ruin,” Jeremie Saulnier

ECUMENICAL JURY AWARDS

Ecumenical Jury Prize: “The Past,” Asghar Farhadi

Honorable Mentions: “Like Father, Like Son,” Hirokazu Kore-eda; “Miele,” Valeria Golino

DIRECTORS’ FORTNIGHT

Art Cinema Award: “Me, Myelf and Mum,” Guillaume Gallienne

SACD Award: “Me, Myelf and Mum,” Guillaume Gallienne

SACD Special Mention: “Tip Top,” Serge Bozon

European Cinemas Label Award (Best European Film): “The Selfish Giant,” Cio Barnard

CRITICS’ WEEK

Grand Prize: “Salvo,” Fabio Grassadonia, Antonio Piazza

Special Mention: “Los Duenos,” Agustin Toscano, Ezequiel Radusky

Visionary Award: “Salvo,” Fabio Grassadonia, Antonio Piazza

Best Screenplay: “Le Demantlement,” Sebastien Pilote

Queer Palme: “Stranger by the Lake,” Alain Guiraudie