What’s vaguely amusing about the Cannes Film Festival is that it generates several thousands of articles and press reports per year, but the actual results only make up a few lines (Oscar organisers, are you listening?). Here are the results of the Cannes Film festival 2012:
Feature films
Palme d’Or
AMOUR (LOVE) directed by Michael HANEKE
Grand Prix
REALITY directed by Matteo GARRONE
Award for Best Director
Carlos REYGADAS for POST TENEBRAS LUX
Award for Best Screenplay
Cristian MUNGIU for DUPÃ DEALURI (BEYOND THE HILLS)
Award for Best Actress
Cristina FLUTUR in DUPÃ DEALURI (BEYOND THE HILLS) directed by Cristian MUNGIU
Cosmina STRATAN in DUPÃ DEALURI (BEYOND THE HILLS) directed by Cristian MUNGIU
Award for Best Actor
Mads MIKKELSEN in JAGTEN (THE HUNT) directed by Thomas VINTERBERG
Jury Prize
THE ANGELS’ SHARE directed by Ken LOACH
Short Films
Palme d’Or – Short Film
SESSIZ-BE DENG (SILENT) directed by L. Rezan YESILBAS
That’s it, folks. And for those few lines, how many more thousand will be written about how they could possibly have missed “Rust & Blood”, “Mud”, “On the Road” or [insert your favourite film here].
So rather than obsess about the winners, draw up a list of movies to catch over the coming months – as there were some real pearls in the selection and sidebars this year.
One thing that I will say: the Palme d’Or often goes to films that I don’t particularly want to see. Cannes overall works far better as a source of great movies and filmmakers. The sum of the parts is far great than the individual winners.