Cristian Mungiu's film 'Fjord' has won the Palme d'Or at the 79th Cannes Film Festival. The film, which is Mungiu's English-language debut, stars Renate Reinsve and Sebastian Stan as Romanian parents accused of child abuse after relocating to a small Norwegian village. This victory marks Mungiu's second Palme d'Or win, having previously won in 2007 for '4 Months, 3 Weeks and 2 Days.'
The Grand Prix, Cannes' runner-up prize, was awarded to Andreï Zvyagintsev for 'Minotaur,' a film set against the backdrop of the Russian war effort in Ukraine. Zvyagintsev used his acceptance speech to criticize Russian President Vladimir Putin, calling for an end to the violence.
Best directing honors were shared between Javier Calvo and Javier Ambrossi for 'La Bola Negra' and Paweł Pawlikowski for 'Fatherland.' The best actor award went to newcomers Emmanuel Macchia and Valentin Campagne for their roles in 'Coward,' while the best actress award was shared by Virginie Efira and Tao Okamoto for 'All of a Sudden.'
Emmanuel Marre received the best screenplay award for 'A Man of His Time,' and Valeska Grisebach won the Jury Prize for 'The Dreamed Adventure.' The Camera d'Or for best first film was awarded to Clémentine Dusabejambo for 'Ben’Imana,' the first Rwandan film to compete in Cannes.
The ceremony featured a lifetime achievement award presented to Barbra Streisand, who was unable to attend due to a knee injury. Isabelle Huppert paid tribute to Streisand's career and contributions to the arts. Streisand expressed her gratitude via video, reflecting on her journey in film and the power of cinema.
