As it turned out, the most logical on-paper prediction turned out the be the right one. After emerging as the bridesmaid from several festivals past — winning the Grand Prix in 2001, Best Director in 2005 — the venerable Austrian auteur Michael Haneke has finally won the Palme d’Or for his stark moral drama “The White Ribbon.”
Whether or not jury president Isabelle Huppert, a two-time Haneke leading lady in the past, wielded much influence on this decision — or indeed, whether she even needed to — is something for the pundits to debate. (I personally doubt it, though there was no mistaking the sly smile on her face as she announced his name at the podium.) Either way, there’s little denying that Haneke was overdue for world cinema’s highest honor; perhaps there was a career-achievement angle to the award, but the critical acclaim for “The White Ribbon” has been extensive.
From watching the ceremony, it was clear that Haneke wasn’t the most popular winner of the night; that designation clearly goes to hometown favorite Jacques Audiard, whose “A Prophet” — like “Gomorrah” last year — was by and large deemed the favorite for the Palme, but ultimately had to be content with the silver-medal Grand Prix. The rousing standing ovation he received, however, spoke for itself. (I should add that a second-place finish for Audiard was, embarrassingly, the only correct call I made the whole night.)
The real talking point of the awards, however, will likely remain Charlotte Gainsbourg’s Best Actress prize for her evidently courageous work in “Antichrist” — a clear gesture of support by the jury for a film that has provoked prolonged media outrage since its unveiling, and a blatant slap in the face of Cannes’ alternative ‘ecumenical’ jury who went out of their way to condemn it. The irony of handing a female performance award to a film that has been repeatedly pelted with accusations of misogyny is rather delicious; at the very least, it’s an indication that this is a film to be taken seriously.
(More commentary, and a full list of winners, after the cut.)
I suspected Gainsbourg was a strong contender for the prize, even if I didn’t have the gumption to predict it. I didn’t, however, see Christoph Waltz’s Best Actor award coming for Quentin Tarantino’s “Inglourious Basterds,” a glaring oversight on my part given that his was one of the few male performances at this festival to garner enthusiastic praise across the board, despite the mixed-to-negative critical reaction to the film. In a lean field of contenders, it makes sense that the jury would go for a performance that had at least garnered significant media attention.
Elsewhere, awards for Brillante Mendoza’s widely disliked “Kinatay” (Best Director) and Lou Ye’s moderately received “Spring Fever” (Best Screenplay) are typical of Cannes’ annual unpredictability. I do find it odd (or perhaps pointed?) that, despite the media fuss about Ye’s personal struggle to make his film in the face of a ban from the Chinese government, the jury chose to honor his film with an award not for him, but his screenwriter.
Elsewhere, Oscar-winning Brit Andrea Arnold is jogging on the spot with the same bronze-medal award she won three years ago for “Red Road,” while her co-winner, Chan-wook Park, moves a rung down from the Grand Prix he won for “Oldboy” in 2004. Both, however, should be pleased to have made the winners’ circle at all in a clearly competitive year where no film took more than one gong.
Some will be surprised to see Jane Campion’s period romance “Bright Star” frozen out, despite significant critical acclaim, but I always suspected that it was too gentle — too mainstream, even — for the more avant-garde tastes of the jury. I still think, however, that it could well figure later in awards season: Abbie Cornish’s performance and the film’s technical attributes have clearly made an early impact on the race. It wouldn’t be the first film to rally after striking out on the Croisette, the most obvious (and recent) example being 2007’s “No Country for Old Men.”
Other than that, it looks like another year in which the Cannes winners portend little for the Oscar race ahead. Perhaps if “Inglourious Basterds” finds it feet with audiences and critics upon its American release, there could be supporting citations for Waltz, but it’s a shaky bet. “A Prophet” could make inroads in the foreign-language race if the French select it, though it looks rather too hard-edged for the milquetoast Academy committee. Haneke has never been their cup of tea, either.
As for Gainsbourg, so gracious in her Cannes acceptance speech, well … as if. But no matter. “Antichrist” has weathered the storm, and emerged at least partly victorious.
Palme d’Or: “The White Ribbon”
Grand Prix: “A Prophet”
Best Actor: Christoph Waltz, “Inglourious Basterds”
Best Actress: Charlotte Gainsbourg, “Antichrist”
Best Director: Brillante Mendoza, “Kinatay”
Best Screenplay: Feng Mei, “Spring Fever”
Jury Prize: “Fish Tank” and “Thirst” (tie)
Special Jury Prize: Alain Resnais
Camera d’Or (Best Debut Feature): “Samson and Delilah”
Camera d’Or (Special Mention): “Ajami”
Palme d’Or (Best Short Film): “Arena”
Comments
42 responses to “Haneke lands Palme d’Or, Gainsbourg takes Best Actress”
Woohoo! An ACTUAL award for Antichrist.
I know!
Roger Ebert won’t be happy about Mendoza.
YES!!! I had a feeling they were going to give it to Gainsbourg!
And the Tarantino hard-on at Cannes holds strong. Ugh.
Gainsbourg & Waltz! Yes, just as I hoped.
“And the Tarantino hard-on at Cannes holds strong. Ugh.” And yet, another person could easily insert Von Trier’s name for Tarantino’s! Ha.
Boink: True!
Nice….I had Un Prophet for the Grand Prix…
So “A Prophet” comes in second — FINALLY I called something right.
I called The White Ribbon : )
I’m glad Haneke won.
I really thought Waltz was gonna get something. And Huppert would have something to admire in Gainbourg’s performance.
meh winners haven’t seen anything but for awhile it looked like the jury was looking for the biggest clunckers at the festival
I’m so glad Haneke won.
giving credit for Waltz victory to Tarantino obsession is presumptuous and irresponsible. By all accounts he’s extraordinary in the film and was definitely the hot topic of Cannes as far as acting goes. Sounds to me like he earned it
Irresponsible? How exactly? Who’s harmed in the situation?
I know Waltz got good notices, I’m just being a dick.
So does this make The White Ribbon a contender fot the Foreign Language film Oscar?
Bill: I doubt it. Haneke is way over the heads of AMPAS, if you ask me.
God, the Antichrist hard-on never stops on here. Shouldn’t there be a picture of Haneke for this article, seeing as he won the top prize and all?
But Gainsbourg is so much prettier than Haneke, Aleksis ;)
Lighten up. Gainsbourg’s win is probably the bigger talking-point right now, like it or not.
And I say that as a dedicated Haneke fan who’s really pleased (inasmuch as one can be without having seen the films) he’s won, after being robbed blind in 2005.
Even I’m rather surprised that Kinatay & Spring Fever win anything at all. They could seriously have made room for the far better received Looking For Eric & Bright Star.
Both Kinatay & Spring Fever got meh reviews and many reviewers said that major problem with Spring Fever was th weak script.
And yes it doe seem that Waltz would stand no chance with the star-fucking academy. He would even be demoted to Supp category but I expect he’ll definitely get some mentions from the critics circle.
3 years in a row highly admired winners. The last 2 were very very god choices, I hope The White Ribbon lives up to it. But obviously I most want to watch Antichrist. Antichrist might very well become a cult film.
Taking Woodstock(completely) & Broken Embraces(to a lesser degree) seem to have fallen by the wayside as per Oscar chances.
I don’t get what’s up with this site’s fawning over a film they haven’t seen yet either, but whatever…
and even though I don’t have great expectations for “Basterds”, I thought it was cool that Waltz got the award… I just love it when they pull a weird winner like this in these festivals.
I realize everyone knows everyone in the movie business but it does raise an eyebrow or two that the grand prize winner is the man most responsible for getting the jury president to a point in her career where she could have such a position.
Personally, I think Claude Chabrol has boosted Huppert’s career even more than Haneke over the years, but that’s neither here not there.
As you say, it inevitably prompts speculation. But the decision still reflects a majority vote by a nine-person jury. We have no idea if Huppert needed to use her casting vote or not. I’d love to hear an insider’s account of this.
wow, I’m really excited for Charlotte Gainsbourg. I predicted she would win. Does her win even remotely hint at any chance at the Oscars? Or is Lars von Trier too ballsy for the Academy? Didn’t Emily Watson get a Best Actress nomination for Breaking the Waves, though?
Happy for Gainsbough. Highly anticipating the film as well. She was so good in “I’m Not There.”
Also, I would like to thank Guy for his outstanding coverage of the Cannes Film Festival. Brilliant.
“Does her win even remotely hint at any chance at the Oscars?”
Not a chance in hell, I’d say. “Breaking the Waves” was a completely different kettle of fish: less controversial and more unanimously praised.
And Bjork wasn’t nominated for an Oscar after winning best actress at Cannes for her phenomenal work in Dancer in the Dark. Another controversial, difficult to watch film but Bjork gave IMO the best female performance of that year. And just to add insult to injury, Julia Roberts won the Oscar that year.
Patryk: You’re welcome, of course. Glad you enjoyed it. Thanks.
And I agree, Gainsbourg is wonderful in “I’m Not There.” She’d have been on my personal Best Supporting Actress ballot that year.
Winning the Cannes Film Festival is a huge prestige by itself… People should stop thinking that everything leads up to the Academy Awards, that the Oscars are the ultimate, most important awards in the film business. Charlotte Gainsbourg isn´t probably even considering on landing a Best Actress nomination (for the Academy), and frankly, I don´t think she even cares tonight…
Andre: It’s not fawning. I hate (HATE) as many Von Trier films as I love. But anytime snobby bitches raise a shit storm over another artist’s work like so many have this film (the gall of the NY journalist demanding Von Trier tell him why he made a film that clearly upset him so much and, of course, the culminating disgrace of that “anti-award”), I feel a desire to take sides.
And yeah, not to engage in a circle jerk, but I have to join Patryk in thanking Guy for his bang-up job covering the festival news the last week and a half. Stellar and insightful throughout.
hahahaha, “I know Waltz got good notices, I’m just being a dick.” That is quite the gem.
As for Gainsbourg, i hope they reconsider recutting (no pun intended) the film so she has some sort of shot, I’ve been hoping she’d get some recognition since I saw I’m Not There as well. While Blanchett stole the show in that film, Gainsbourg and Ledger’s story was totally the most interesting.
I’m seeing Waltz getting himself a supporting actor nom… and that’s it for Basterds.
Maybe. But critical acclaim and a couple of major precursor nods weren’t enough to get Uma Thurman in for a wild Tarantino genre mashup, so…
hey, I’ve got no problem with people taking sides! it’s YOUR website after all, we wouldn’t read it if we weren’t interested in what you think of stuff!
I guess I’m just a little miffed because I don’t get all the hoopla made about Lars Von Trier, who strikes me as a guy who’s much better at marketing his films than actually making them.
and while Gainsbourg is lovely and seems like she’s a lovely person, she’s never impressed me that much as an actress… there, I’ve said it! =P
oh, and yeah, great coverage, mr. lodge!
“SAMSON AND DELILAH”!! So happy for Warwick Thornton on his much-deserved win of the Camera d’Or prize.
I predicted Gainsbough too. But if you’re wanting to raise suspicion over “The White Ribbon” winning, why not suspicion over Charlotte too. Coincidence that she has a scene of genital mutilation just like Huppert does is “The Piano Teacher”?
Nothing scandalous in it though. Everyone said “The White Ribbon” was one of the two front-runners and same for Charlotte.
I’m still just so excited for “Samson and Delilah”. Couldn’t be happier. And to add to that the film is a box office hit here in Australia! Never woulda guessed that.
And, yeah, great coverage, Guy. It’s been good to have a regular guy in there for a change.
So yet another actor is recognized for exemplary work in a Quentin Tarantino film.
This is very happy and certainly not unexpected news. Tarantino’s has consistantly brought out superior work from his actors. Pulp Fiction alone made Samuel L. Jackson a hero to fans everywhere, resurrected the career of John Travolta, and made Uma Thurmon a certified Oscar nominee. Jackie Brown had some of the best performances of that year, making Robert Forster’s career (nominated) and Pam Grier was simply ripped off.
So going back to Cannes and having an actor rewarded in yet another of his films is pretty standard stuff. I’m really looking forward to seeing Waltz’s performance, as the character on paper is just riveting.
Congrats to Haneke; he’s on quite a roll. I’ve loathed every Von Trier film since Breaking The Waves, but I’m sure i’ll give this latest one a fair sit. And A Prophet sounds like the one to really catch.
“strikes me as a guy who’s much better at marketing his films than actually making them.”
This I agree with.