Overview of Cannes 2024 Winners and Jury Highlights
The film Anora, directed by the American filmmaker Sean Baker, captured the Palme d’Or at the 77th Cannes Film Festival, signaling a standout entry in a year packed with bold storytelling. The festival also celebrated a strong international presence with Emilia Pérez leading the Latin American film lineup and earning the best actress recognition for the ensemble cast.
The jury for this edition, presided over by Greta Gerwig, delivered a diverse slate of honors that reflect the competition’s wide range of voices and styles. The Palme d’Or went to Anora, a film that drew attention for its audacious portrayal and cinematic ambition. The Grand Prize recognized Everything we dream of as light by Payal Kapadia, a work that resonated with its lyrical approach and intimate focus.
In directing, Miguel Gomes earned the Best Directing Award for The Grand Tour, a project that pushed formal boundaries and offered a distinctive vision of travel, memory, and character. The Best Screenplay Award went to Coralie Fargeat for The Substance, a script noted for its inventive structure and sharp dialogue that propelled the story forward with clarity and edge.
The Special Jury Prize was awarded to The seed of the sacred fig by Mohammad Rasoulof, a film praised for its courageous voice and thematic depth. The Jury Prize went to Emilia Pérez, authored by Jacques Audiard, recognizing a collaboration that produced a film with strong performances and a compelling narrative arc.
The Best Actress Award honored the ensemble from Emilia Pérez, featuring Karla Sofia Gascón, Zoe Saldaña, Selena Gómez, and Adriana Paz, whose shared performance was celebrated for its collective strength and individual moments of truth. The Best Actor Award went to Jesse Plemons for Kind of Kindness, a performance marked by restraint, vulnerability, and precise timing.
Additional selections showcased by the festival included Halfdan Ullmann Tøndel’s Armand, which appeared in a special topics segment curated by the United Nations, highlighting the festival’s engagement with global conversations. The Palme d’Or also recognized The man who could not remain silent by Nebojša Slijepčević, a film that contributed to the festival’s dialogue on voice and visibility. A Special Mention was given to Mongrel, awarded to Wei iang Chiang and You Qiao Yin for their audacious storytelling and collaborative energy.