Cannes has come and going again and sadly, the closest Flixist will be getting to France this year will be The Adventures of Tintin. Before the 2011 festival began, all anybody wanted to know about was Terrence Malick’s The Tree of Life. His film was crossed out from last year’s schedule because nobody, not even people working on and for his movies, ever know when he’ll finish editing them.
So maybe you’d figure the Cannes top prize, the Palme d’Or would predictably go to this cosmic meditation on God-knows-what. It has, but only with a sigh of relief. I say this because festival attendees practically trampled over each other to get into the screening, then started booing half way through.
I guess you’d have to be there to really understand, but it made me wonder if The Tree of Life is similar to Darren Aronofsky’s The Fountain, or Malick’s own The New World, overly ambitious projects that redeem themselves with multiple viewings but are major disappointments the first time around.
Now evidence points to the hecklers being just uppidy Europeans. Not only have early reviews been positive, but The Tree of Life has won the Golden Tree. On the flip side, maybe people are just worried that if he doesn’t get awarded, he’ll hide away for another two decades, the amount of time that passed between Days of Heaven and The Thin Red Line.
Other festival hits this year include the Ryan Gosling vehicle Drive and silver screen throwback The Artist. For a list of other Cannes awards given, including Persona Non Grata winner Lars Von Trier, click here.
Best Picture, the The Palme d’Or winner: Terrence Malick, “The Tree Of Life”
The Grand Prix: (tie): Jean-Pierre and Luc Dardenne, The Kid with a Bike” and Nuri Bilge Ceylan, “Once Upon A Time In Anatolia”
Best Director: Nicolas Winding Refn – “Drive”
Best Actor: Jean Dujardin, “The Artist”
Best Actress: Kirsten Dunst, “Melancholia”
Best Screenplay Joseph Cedar, “Footnote”
The Jury Prize: Maïwenn, “Poliss”
Camera d’Or: Pablo Giorgelli, “Las Acacias”
Short Film Palme d’Or: Maryna Vroda, “Cross-Country”
Un Certain Regard Prize: (tie) “Arirang” by Kim Ki-duk; “Stopped on Track” by Andreas Dresen
Special Jury Prize: “Elena,” Andrei Zvyagintsev
Best Director: Mohammad Rasoulof, “Au Revoir”
FIPRESCI Prize (Competition): “Le Havre,” Aki Kaurismäki
FIPRESCI Prize (Un Certain Regard): “The Minister,” Pierre Schoeller
FIPRESCI Prize (Critics’ Week): “Take Shelter,” Jeff Nichols
Prize of the Ecumenical Jury: “This Must Be the Place,” Paolo Sorrentino
Special Mentions: “Le Havre,” Aki Kaurismäki; “Where Do We Go Now?,” Nadine Labaki
Queer Palme: “Skoonheid,” Oliver Hermanus
