From Standing Ovations to Selfie Sins, Cannes Was Cannes

The 78th edition of the Festival de Cannes did not disappoint – but, really, when does Cannes ever disappoint? A regionwide power outage threatened to derail the last Saturday of the festival, but ultimately, the eleven-day celebration closed with what would come to be a historic awards gala.

That evening, the jury, led by esteemed French actress Juliette Binoche, awarded the Palme d’Or to Jafar Panahi’s It Was Just an Accident. In doing so, Panahi became part of an illustrious and exclusive group to win top honors at the Festival de Cannes, the Venice Film Festival and the Berlin Film Festival. The film, shot incognito in Iran – where Panahi has been imprisoned twice – chronicles the moral dilemma faced by former prisoners seeking vengeance against their torturers.

Wagner Moura – well known for his role in Narcos – took home the top honor for male lead in O Agento Secreto, while Nadia Melliti – arguably the revelation of the festival at just 23 – won for best female lead in La Petite Dernière.

As is often the case at Cannes, the films that didn’t win prizes delivered just as many memorable moments.

The festival opened with the premiere of Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning, the final film in the franchise. It marked the first red carpet since organizers announced a slightly tweaked dress code, aimed at avoiding too much distraction – in the form of overly voluminous dresses or nudity – from the films at hand. While the Mission: Impossible cast complied with that directive, they flouted the one banning selfies on the red carpet. But some sins can be forgiven.

The premiere of Ari Aster’s Eddington – a film exploring disinformation, the pandemic, and political divides in small communities – featured a star-studded cast led by Pedro Pascal in a dapper all-black ensemble (a look also pulled off by Paul Mescal at the premiere of The History of Sound, offering a masterclass in how to stand out without overstepping). While Joaquin Phoenix, Austin Butler, Michael Ward, and Emma Stone were also in attendance, it was a bee that stole the show (and the memeable headlines), causing mayhem as it buzzed around the cast.

Denzel Washington lands unexpected Palme d’Or

No premiere generated more buzz than Highest 2 Lowest, Spike Lee’s latest film – despite being an out-of-competition title. Not only was Lee riding high off the Knicks’ playoff series win (he arrived in a Knicks-inspired candy-stripe suit), but star Denzel Washington was awarded an unexpected honorary Palme d’Or before the screening. Washington’s co-star A$AP Rocky looked sharp in a custom Miu Miu suit at the photocall and an oversized Saint Laurent suit on the red carpet, paired with a Bvlgari watch featuring a 2,000-year-old coin. While attentive eyes caught those details, what really stole the show was the fact that Rihanna attended the premiere alongside Rocky.

Speaking of stealing the show, jury members are usually expected to lay low – at least until after the prizes are awarded. Jeremy Strong was not the usual jury member. The Apprentice and Succession star showed up to the jury photocall in a salmon-on-salmon-on-salmon-on-salmon outfit that looked supremely comfortable, from the bucket hat to the sneakers. Then, at the premiere of Wes Anderson’s The Phoenician Scheme, Strong was arguably the best-dressed in a mint-coloured shawl-collared tuxedo with a matching bow tie and sleek black loafers.

Once the awards were handed out, Strong offered perhaps the best quote of the entire festival when asked about the jury process: “It’s like Conclave, with champagne.”

And that may be the most apt way to describe the Cannes experience. There is something ritualistic about it: the procession of stars from hotel to red carpet, the omnipresence of gold, jewelry, and impeccably tailored garments, the crowning of new stars, the benediction of those who’ve toiled a lifetime – sometimes in front of the camera, sometimes behind it – and the words of reverence bestowed upon the films by the masses. Among those who descend on this small seaside town in the south of France, many carry an almost dogmatic love for certain filmmakers, holding up signs, hoping, praying for a miracle: “One ticket for Wes Anderson, please.” or “SVP 1 INVITATION ALPHA.”

Now in its 78th year, the festival has its own traditions – with an almost magical quality to them, just like the cinema it celebrates.

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