Multilingual Drama ‘Fjord’ Wins Palme d’Or at Cannes Film Festival

The 79th Cannes Film Festival concluded with the awarding of the Palme d’Or to “Fjord,” a film directed by Romanian filmmaker Cristian Mungiu. This multilingual drama stars Sebastian Stan and Renate Reinsve as a devout Christian couple accused of abusing their children.

During his acceptance speech, Mungiu seamlessly switched between English and French, emphasizing the importance of cinema in addressing “relevant” societal issues. He noted the division and radicalization within today’s society, as depicted in “Fjord,” where a family issue escalates into headline news, highlighting the clash between religious conservatism and social liberalism.

This victory marks Mungiu’s second Palme d’Or win, with his first in 2007 for “4 Months, 3 Weeks and 2 Days.”

The festival felt comparatively subdued this year, partly due to the absence of major American studios and globally recognizable stars on the red carpet. The lack of a critical favorite in the main competition also contributed to the subdued atmosphere.

Despite this, several works garnered positive attention. The top prizes for best director, actress, and actor saw multiple recipients. Jury head Park Chan-wook noted the panel’s diversity, which included the actress Demi Moore and director Chloé Zhao.

The Polish director Paweł Pawlikowski secured the best director award for “Fatherland,” sharing the prize with Spanish filmmakers Javier Calvo and Javier Ambrossi for their film “La Bola Negra.” Their movie spans various historical periods, weaving stories of men whose lives are intertwined. The tale centers around an unfinished play by Federico García Lorca, murdered by fascists during the Spanish Civil War.