The twelve days of celebrating the 72nd Cannes Festival commemorated artists and films from various points of view. On Saturday evening, on the stage of the Grand Théâtre Lumière, the event’s host Édouard Baer welcomed the jury presided by Alejandro Gonzalez Iñárritu to announce the 2019 Golden Palm Awards.
South Korean drama The Parasite, directed by Bong Joon-Ho, entered the festival's history as the first Korean film to win an award. The black comedy-drama deals with the gap between the poor and the rich. The Grand Jury Award belonged to the film Atlantique about migrants, co-produced by France, Senegal and Belgium and directed by the French-Senegalese director Mati Diop. Belgian brothers Luc and Jean-Pierre Dardenne received the Best Director Award for their dramatic film Le Jeune Ahmed (Young Ahmed).
British actress Emily Beecham took home the Best Actress award for her role in the drama Little Joe by the Austrian director Jessica Hausner, Antonio Banderas claimed the Best Actor award for the film Pain and Glory by the acclaimed Spanish director Pedro Almodovar. In the film, he played alongside Penelope Cruz.
In the Cannes Classics section, a documentary about Miloš Forman, Forman vs. Forman, from directors Helena Třeštíková and Jakub Hejna Forman was featured. Czech filmmakers also collaborated in the movies Dogs Don't Wear Pants and Solo. In the Cinéfondation section, the student film One Hundred Twenty-Eight (directed and written by Ondřej Erban) was introduced.
Many of the winning films, including the Golden Palm holder, are heading to Czech distribution. In addition to The Parasite, Pain and Glory, Young Ahmed, Les Misérables and Portrait of a Girl on Fire will appear in Czech cinemas.
Golden Palm: Kisaengchung (The Parasite)
Grand Jury Award: Atlantique
Best Director: Luc and Jean-Pierre Dardenne
Best Actress: Emily Beecham
Best Actor: Antonio Banderas
Best Screenplay: Céline Sciamma
Jury Award: Les Misérables