The 79th Cannes Film Festival has come to a close, once again marked by high-profile political statements and pressing social issues. The festival’s highest honor, the Palme d’Or, was awarded to Romanian director Cristian Mungiu for his drama «Fjord».

It marks Mungiu’s second major victory at Cannes: he first won the festival’s top prize in 2007 for «4 Months, 3 Weeks and 2 Days».

«Fjord» is a social drama about a Romanian family that relocates to Norway and finds itself at the center of a conflict with social services following suspicions of child abuse. Critics described the film as one of the strongest entries in the festival lineup, praising its emotional intensity, screenplay, and nuanced exploration of radicalization, empathy, and cultural tensions.

During the awards ceremony, the director said the film was «a call against all forms of fundamentalism» and an attempt to remind audiences of the importance of humanity in an increasingly polarized world.

 

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The festival’s Grand Prix went to «Minotaur» by Russian director Andrey Zvyagintsev, who left Russia after the outbreak of the full-scale war. The political thriller follows a wealthy Russian businessman whose life begins to unravel amid war and mobilization.

Accepting the award, Zvyagintsev addressed Putin directly, urging him to end the war.

«Millions of people on both sides of the front line dream of only one thing – for the killing to stop. And the only person capable of ending this bloodshed is you, Mr. President of the Russian Federation», the director said from the stage.

 

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The award for Best Director was shared by Javier Ambrossi and Javier Calvo for «Black Sphere», alongside Paweł Pawlikowski for the drama «Homeland».

 

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The Best Actress award went to Virginie Efira and Tao Okamoto for their performances in «Suddenly».

 

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The Best Actor prize was awarded to Emmanuel Makki and Valentin Campagne for their roles in «Coward».

 

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The award for Best Screenplay went to Emmanuel Marre for «A Man of His Time», while the Jury Prize was awarded to «Dreamlike Adventure» by director Valeska Grisebach.

 

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This year’s jury was headed by South Korean filmmaker Park Chan-wook. The panel also included Demi Moore and other prominent figures from the global film industry.

 

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The festival was also accompanied by several heated debates, particularly surrounding Hollywood’s noticeably weaker presence and the political statements made by participants. One of the most talked-about moments came when screenwriter Paul Laverty accused the American film industry of creating «blacklists» for actors who had publicly spoken out about the war in Gaza.

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