‘A REFLECTION OF THE WORLD’
Wave of socially conscious films sweeps festival
A rollicking comedy-thriller from Korean director Bong Joon-ho won the Palme d’or at the 72nd Cannes Film Festival, one of a wave of socially conscious movies to pick up major prizes this year.
Bong’s film, Parasite, tells the story of an impoverished family that grifts its way into working for a much wealthier clan, all while keeping the own relationship under wraps. The film is wickedly funny before taking a dark turn near the end, but it also illustrates the divide between haves and have nots in modern societies.
The rest of the major prizes had similar, of-the-moment themes. Taking the second-place prize, or Grand Prix, was Atlantics, a first film from French-senegalese director Mati Diop, and a story of poor labourers who try to flee North Africa for Europe.
The Jury Prize went to two films; Les Misérables, about a trio of police officers running into trouble in a poor Parisian neighbourhood; and Bacurau, in which a Brazilian town is literally wiped off world maps when a strange invasion takes place. The best directing prize was won by Belgian filmmakers Jean-pierre and Luc Dardenne for Young Ahmed, about a boy who becomes a religious extremist.
“There was no agenda or any message that we would like to convey,” said jury president Alejandro González Iñárritu, discussing the wins. “It was cinematic decisions, not political agenda.”
But he added: “Cinema has in a way an urgency of social consciousness. Fiction is reality projected into the future, and I think art can sometimes see the future. These are visionaries that ... are expressing those worries, those frustrations and those nightmares. There’s an urgency about it. Art is a reflection of the world. And the world is reflected in art.”
The Cannes jury also named Emily Beecham best actress for her role in Jessica Hausner’s scifi drama Little Joe, and Antonio Banderas best actor for playing a Pedro Almodovar-like filmmaker in Almodovar’s Pain and Glory. Banderas joked that when someone asked him how long it took to get here — meaning back to Cannes to accept his prize — he replied: “Forty years.”
The jury also singled out Elia Suleiman’s new film It Must Be Heaven for a special mention. The lovely, funny and touching movie follows a filmmaker (played by the director), who travels from Palestine to Paris and New York, silently witnessing the weirdness of civilized life.
And while Xavier Dolan went home empty-handed after the première of Matthias & Maxime, fellow Quebec actor-turned-director Monia Chokri won a special “coup de coeur” prize for her heartfelt debut film La Femme de mon frère (A Brother’s Love).
Meanwhile, the annual Palm Dog award went to Brandy, the pit bull owned by Brad Pitt’s character in Once Upon a Time ... in Hollywood.
Director Quentin Tarantino showed up (with Brandy) to accept the prize. “I’ve told everybody, I have no idea if we’re going to win the Palme d’or. I feel no entitlement. But I did feel that I was in good standing to win the Palm Dog. So I want to dedicate this to my wonderful actress Brandy. She has brought the Palm Dog home to America.”