The Cannes Film Festival has awarded its top prize, the Palme d’Or, to Sean Baker’s Anora, a dark comedy about a young exotic dancer who becomes involved with a Russian oligarch’s son.
Anora was selected by a jury led by Barbie director Greta Gerwig out of a Cannes Competition line-up of 22 films which included features by Francis Ford Coppola, David Cronenberg and Paolo Sorrentino. Baker’s previous films include the 2021’s Red Rocket and 2017’s The Florida Project starring Willem Dafoe.
Cannes’ second highest prize, The Grand Prix, was awarded to Payal Kapadia’s feature All We Imagine As Light, marking the first time an Indian director has won the prize.
The jury awarded a special prize to Mohammad Rasoulof’s The Seed of the Sacred Fig, which the director made secretly in Iran. Shortly before the film’s premiere in Cannes, Rasoulof fled Iran after receiving an eight-year prison sentence.
Coralie Fargeat’s body horror film The Substance, starring Demi Moore as a Hollywood actress who goes to extremes to remain youthful, won the best screenplay prize.
Jacques Audiard’s Emilia Perez, a musical about a Mexican cartel boss who transitions from male to female, won two - the jury prize and the best actress prize for its stars Zoe Saldana, Selena Gomez, Karla Sofia Gascon and Adriana Paz.
Jesse Plemons was named best actor for his role in Yorgos Lanthimos’s Kinds of Kindness.
You are not signed in
Only registered users can comment on this article.
Film and TV Charity launches 2026 Looking Glass Survey
Kicking off the start of Mental Health Awareness Week, the Film and TV Charity has launched the 2026 Looking Glass Survey to analyse staff wellbeing experiences in the industry.
Sky extends Formula 1 deal in UK, Ireland, and Italy
Sky and Formula 1 have struck a multi-year agreement for the exclusive rights to broadcast Formula 1 race weekends in the UK, Ireland, and Italy through the next decade.
Framestore promotes Theo Jones to Creative Director of AI
VFX giant Framestore has promoted Theo Jones to the newly created role, Creative Director of AI.
Bectu calls for government intervention in Paramount–WBD merger
Film and TV industry union Bectu has called for the government to intervene in the proposed merger between Paramount Global and WBD, warning that the deal risks increasing insecurity for creative workers and further concentrating media power in the UK.
Open letter urges UK government to back campaign against on-set injuries
Senior leaders from the film, TV, and theatre industries have come together to urge the UK government to support a campaign to prevent on-set injuries.
