68th Cannes Festival 2015 68th Cannes Festival 2015 The triumph of French cinema
The 68th Cannes Festival was held from the 13th to 24th of May 2015. France won three awards, including the Golden Palm for the film "Dheepan", from filmmaker Jacques Audiard, through which the festival honoured French cinema.
France received several awards
This year, the Cannes Festival made awards rain on France. The Golden Palm was awarded to the film "Dheepan" by Jacques Audiard. The film tells the story of Sri Lankan immigrants at their arrival in France. Frenchwoman Emmanuelle Bercot received the award for Best Actress for the love film My King (Mon Roi), by Maïwenn. Actor Vincent Lindon won the Best Actor award, the first of his career, for his role as an unemployed in "The measure of a man" (La Loi du Marché) by Stéphane Brizé. Last but not least, Agnès Varda, 86 years old and famous director of the New Wave, won an honorary award for her total body of work.
An unbalanced prize list
Except for the French landslide, the selection has put the spotlights on international cinema. Taiwanese film "The Assassin" won the Best director award. "The Lobster", by Greek filmmaker Yorgos Lanthimos, won the Jury award and "Chronic", from Mexican director Michel Franco won the Best Screenplay award.
Oddly enough, the Italian films, which were among the favourites, are not present in the prize list: "Youth" by Paolo Sorrentino and "Mia Madre" by Nanni Moretti, with John Turturro in the lead role, haven't won anything.
A "Croisette" with no turmoil
For many critiques and commentators, the 68th Cannes Festival has been remarkably... mundane. A few regret the lack of boldness of the original selection. Others lament the unsurprising choice of the prize list. "The Sea of Trees" by American filmmaker Gus Van Sant, was booed after its screening for the press. It was the only film to generate such violent reactions.
In the end, the only scandal that seems to have shaken the Croisette hasn't happened in a projection room, but on the red carpet. Young women were not able to attend a screening because they were wearing flat shoes. The "High Heels Issue" generated massive reactions, particularly on social media. Thierry Frémaux, Director of the Cannes Festival, personnally apologised for this "moment of zeal"... before reminding that wearing high heels is not mandatory.