‘Uncle Boonmee’ wins Palme d’Or
CANNES — Apichatpong Weerasethakul’s “Uncle Boonmee Who Can Recall His Past Lives,” an arresting and imaginative cinematic oddity touching on themes of animism and reincarnation, won the Palme d’Or from the jury of the 63rd Cannes Film Festival on Sunday night. It marks the first time a Thai-directed entry has received the fest’s top honor.
Easily the most idiosyncratic film in competition, “Uncle Boonmee” was also one of the few roundly admired films in what was generally conceded to be the weakest Cannes lineup in years. Weerasethakul is now three for three at Cannes, having previously won the jury prize for 2005′s “Tropical Malady” and the Un Certain Regard prize for 2002′s “Blissfully Yours.”
The Grand Prix was awarded to Xavier Beauvois’ “Of Gods and Men,” a resonant fact-based drama about French monks under siege in Algeria.
Juliette Binoche, this year’s Cannes poster girl, took the actress laurels for her role in Abbas Kiarostami’s Tuscany-set two-hander, “Certified Copy.” Binoche paid tribute in her speech to imprisoned Iranian helmer Jafar Panahi, originally set to be a member of this year’s jury.
The actor award was declared a tie between Javier Bardem for his perf in Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu’s “Biutiful” and Elio Germano for his work in Daniele Luchetti’s “Our Life.”
French actor-helmer Mathieu Amalric won the director kudo for “On Tour,” in which he also starred. Screenplay honors went to South Korean writer-director Lee Chang-dong for “Poetry.”
Mahamet-Saleh Haroun’s “A Screaming Man,” the first Chadian entry to compete at Cannes, received the jury prize.
The Camera d’Or for first film went to Michael Rowe’s “Leap Year,” which screened in Directors’ Fortnight.
INTL. COMPETITION JURY AWARDS
Palme d’Or“Uncle Boonmee Who Can Recall His Past Lives” (Apichatpong Weerasethakul, Spain-Thailand-Germany-U.K.-France)
Grand Prix“Of Gods and Men” (Xavier Beauvois, France)
DirectorMathieu Amalric (“On Tour,” France)
Jury Prize“A Screaming Man” (Mahamet-Saleh Haroun, France-Belgium-Chad)
ActorJavier Bardem (“Biutiful,” Mexico-Spain) and Elio Germano (“Our Life,” Italy)
ActressJuliette Binoche (“Certified Copy,” France-Italy-Iran)
ScreenplayLee Chang-dong (“Poetry,” South Korea)
UN CERTAIN REGARD JURY AWARDS Main Prize“Hahaha” (Hong Sang-soo, South Korea)
Jury Prize“October” (Daniel Vega, Diego Vega)
Special PrizeAdela Sanchez, Eva Bianco, Victoria Raposo, “The Lips” (Ivan Fund, Santiago Losa, Argentina)
OTHER MAIN JURY AWARDS Camera d’Or“Leap Year” (Michael Rowe, Mexico)
FIPRESCI AWARDS Competition“On Tour” (Mathieu Amalric, France)
Un Certain Regard“Adrienn Pal” (Agnes Kocsis, Hungary)
Directors’ Fortnight“You Are All Captains” (Olivier Laxe, Spain)
SHORT FILMS JURY PRIZES Palme d’Or“Barking Island” (Serge Avedikian, France)
Jury prize“Bathing Micky” (Frida Kempff, Sweden)
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