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