On Saturday, a film by an acclaimed Thai director received the Jury Prize, the third-ranked award in the Best Film category, at the Cannes Film Festival.
“Memoria,” directed by Thai filmmaker Apichatpong Weerasethakul was a joint winner of the award, shared with “Ahed’s Knee” by Israel’s Nadav Lapid.
In 2010, Apichatpong’s “Uncle Boonmee Who Can Recall His Past Lives” won the Palme d’Or.
“Memoria” comes as the filmmaker’s first feature film in a decade.
It was also his first shooting outside Thailand and his first job with an internationally recognized star: Oscar-winning British actress Tilda Swinton, better known for her role in “Constantine.”
Swinton appeared in five films of the festival’s official selection and received the Palm Dog Award on behalf of her three spaniels. They appeared alongside her in “The Souvenir Part 2”.
French shocker “Titane” received the top prize at Cannes on Saturday.
Jury Chairman Skipe Lee, the first black man to lead the jury, accidentally revealed the Palme d’Or winning film early in the closing ceremony.
Starting the awards ceremony, he read out the winner instead of introducing the first award for best actor.
“It’s the first film ever where a Cadillac impregnated a woman. That blew my mind!” Lee said. “That’s genius and craziness together.”
French director Julie Ducournau became the second woman to receive the top award for a film classified as “sexy, wild and violent.”
The first woman to win the award was Jane Campion for “The Piano” in 1993.
American actor Caleb Landry Jones took home the best actor award for his performance in “Nitram”, a film about the 1996 Port Arthur massacre, where 35 people were killed.
The film was heavily criticized in Australia, but Variety called it a “devastating study of atrocity” that shows “quiet respect for the victims’ dignity.”
Previously unknown Norwegian actress Renate Reinsve also had a great night thanks to her role in “Worst Person in the World.”
The second-prize Grand Prix was shared between Finland’s Juho Kuosmanen from “Compartment No.6” and Iran’s two-time Oscar winner Asghar Farhadi for “A Hero.”
Japan’s Hamaguchi Ryusuke and Takamasa Oe took the best script award for “Drive My Car.”
Last year’s Cannes Film festival was canceled due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Its organizers announced measures to prevent the spread of Covid-19 a few weeks ago. However, social media users criticized unmasked attendees in theaters in the first premieres.
Additionally, attendees complained about required spit tests every 48 hours.
But the festival seemed to go by without a significant outbreak despite the inevitable hugs on the red carpet.
