cannes 2007 awards

Palme d'Or to Romanian revelation Mungiu

found May 27, 2007 at cineuropa.org/ and enhanced with clips and links by David Norden

Who would have thought at the beginning of the 60th Cannes Film Festival that the Palme d’Or would go to 4 Months, 3 Weeks And 2 Days?

A film that tackles the issue of abortion, the second feature by Romanian director Cristian Mungiu was the second title to be shown in competition. It immediately conquered international critics and then the jury, headed by Stephen Frears. Discovered in 2002 in the Directors' Fortnight with Occident, 39-year old Mungiu is now making history as his name and country are added to the historical list of Cannes grand prize winners.

Trailer "A fost sau n-a fost" EN

The best romanian movie of the year?

Following yesterday’s triumph in Un Certain Regard of Cristian Nemescu's California Dreamin’, the Palme d’Or is further recognition of a new generation of Romanian filmmakers – the 2006 Camera d'Or went to 12:08 East of Bucharest and the 2005 UCR Award to The Death of Mr. Lazarescu.

The Death of Mr. Lazarescu

Anyone who has waited for treatment in an emergency room or chafed under the less than devoted care of a disinterested doctor will recognize Mr. Lazarescu's dilemma. A 60-ish widower, living alone in Bucharest with his cats, he feels sick enough one evening to call an ambulance. This is the beginning of his Dantesque odyssey deep into the bowels of a big city medical establishment. It's a story that could take place anywhere and Mr. Lazarescu could be your next-door neighbor -- or he could be you.

However, Mungiu's win seems even more significant, as he himself produced 4 Months, 3 Weeks And 2 Days through Mobra Film, with Paris-based Wild Bunch handling international sales.

Interview de Vincent Maraval d'Exception Wild Bunch qui nous présente différents aspects du métier de vendeur international de films. www.cinelogs.com

Asian cinema also made a splash tonight. The Grand Jury Prize went to Naomi Kawase's The Mourning Forest, a Japanese title co-produced at 50% by France's Celluloid Dreams and with support from the CNC), while Korean actress Jeon Do-yeon won the Best Actress award for her performance in Lee Chang-dong's Secret Sunshine.

Two US directors also picked up prizes for films produced in France. The new 60th Anniversary Prize went to Gus Van Sant for Paranoid Park (trailer) (Interview acteurs Paranoid Park below)

and Julian Schnabel was chosen Best Director for The Diving Bell and the Butterfly (Le scaphandre et le papillon le Film 2007 )

The rest of the world was not forgotten with Russia's Konstantin Lavronenko winning Best Actor for Andreï Zviaguintsev's The Banishment and Mexico's Carlos Reygadas picking up the ex-aequo Jury Prize for Silent Light Lumière silencieuse

Apart from the Palme d’Or, Europe also received the Best Screenplay prize for Fatih Akin's German film The Edge of Heaven (see interview), as well as the ex-aequo Jury Prize for animated feature Persépolis (France) by Marjane Satrapi and Vincent Paronnaud (more)

A majority-French production, Jellyfish by Israeli duo Etgar Keret and Shira Geffen won the Camera d'Or, while special mention was given to British-Australian title Control by Dutch filmmaker Anton Corbijn.

Interview with Anton Corbijn about the movie CONTROL

Ian Curtis from Joy division by Anton Corbijn Control

The official Control trailer

Palme d´Or
4 Months, 3 Weeks And 2 Days - Cristian Mungiu (RO)

Grand Jury Prize
The Mourning Forest - Naomi Kawase (JP)

60th Anniversary Prize
Gus van Sant - Paranoid Park (FR)

Best Actress
Jeon Do-yeon, Secret Sunshine - Lee Chang-dong (KR)

Best Actor
Konstantin Lavronenko, The Banishment - Andreï Zviaguintsev (RU)

Best Director
The Diving Bell and the Butterfly - Julian Schnabel (FR)

Best Screenplay
Fatih Akin - The Edge of Heaven (DE)

Jury Prize
Silent Light - Carlos Reygadas (FR)
Persepolis - Marjane Strapi and Vincent Paronnaud (FR)

Caméra d´Or
Jellyfish (FR)
Special Mention:
Control (GB)

Palme d´Or for Best Short Film
Ver Lllover - Elisa Miller (MX)
Special Mention:
Ah Ma - Anthony Chen (Singapour)
Run - Mark Albiston (NZ)

A Romanian film about an illegal abortion has won the prestigious Palme d'Or at the Cannes film festival.

Directed by Christian Mungiu, 4 Months, 3 Weeks and 2 Days – or 4 Luni, 3 Saptamini si 2 Zile in its native tongue – is the first Romanian movie to ever win the top prize at the illustrious film festival.

An international panel of judges led by Oscar-nominated British director Stephen Frears judged the film the best out of a shortlist of 22, which included previous Palme d'Or winners.

Joel and Ethan Coen's nihilistic western No Country for Old Men had been tipped by many to win the festival's coveted prize, as had Deathproof by Quentin Tarantino.

In 4 Months, 3 Weeks and 2 Days, two students wrestle with an unwanted pregnancy in the last days of communist Romania.

The film's lead Anamaria Marinca has also received much praise during the 12-day festival, which this year marked its 60th anniversary.

The Palme d'Or (the Golden Palm) is the highest prize given to competing films at Cannes.

Previous winners include Tarantino's Pulp Fiction, and Taxi Driver by Martin Scorsese.

In 2006 English director Ken Loach won the Palme d'Or with The Wind that Shakes the Barley, but no British films made the competition's shortlist of 22 this year

4 mois, 3 semaines et 2 jours de Cristian Mungiu
Palme d'Or Cannes 2007. Cristian Mungiu signe un film âpre et dérangeant

Cannes 2007 Awards and filmclips

Palme d'Or to Romanian revelation Mungiu

The Death of Mr. Lazarescu