Neon CEO Tom Quinn took no probabilities this yr en path to profitable the corporate’s sixth Cannes Palme d’Or in a row, for Iranian dissident Jafar Panahi’s “It Was Simply an Accident.” He acquired the film simply two days earlier than Saturday’s award ceremony. Neon additionally collected the pageant Jury Prize for “Sirât” (shared with MUBI’s current purchase “Sound of Falling”), and two awards for Brazil’s “The Secret Agent” — Greatest Director (Kleber Mendonça Filho) and Actor (Wagner Moura ).
Neon got here out forward on the acquisitions derby, as MUBI’s starry $23-million pick-up “Die My Love,” from Scottish/British filmmaker Lynne Ramsay, got here up empty-handed. A Cannes Actress win for Jennifer Lawrence may have fueled an Oscar marketing campaign, however that loss received’t cease MUBI from pursuing that purpose. Equally, though Oliver Hermanus’ muted American drama “Historical past of Sound” received nothing, Focus should pursue appearing campaigns for Paul Mescal and Josh O’Connor. And Sony Photos Classics will doubtless attempt to promote Academy voters on the virtues of June Squibb, the good nonagenarian star of Scarlett Johansson’s directing debut “Eleanor the Nice” (Un Sure Regard).
All of the American Competitors entries whiffed on the Cannes awards, together with Ari Aster’s political western “Eddington” (A24), Julia Reichardt’s “The Mastermind” (Mubi), and Wes Anderson’s sketchy “The Phoenician Scheme” (Focus). One of many common movies at Cannes was Spike Lee’s Out of Competitors “Highest 2 Lowest” (Apple TV+/A24, August 22) starring the mighty Denzel Washington. The extraordinary New York household drama, tailored from Akira Kurosawa’s “Excessive and Low,” wasn’t in Competitors as a result of the pageant wasn’t positive they’d get Washington on the pink carpet. To their shock and delight, the 70-year-old made the journey on his at some point off from Broadway’s “Othello,” Monday Might 19, and accepted a shock Honorary Palme d’Or from Lee. That sort of publicity fuels an Oscar marketing campaign.
All of the Cannes awards winners are here.
Neon got here into the pageant with its pre-production acquisition from Cannes 2024, Norwegian director Joachim Trier’s “Sentimental Worth,” which took residence the pageant’s second prize, the Grand Prix. Quinn clearly is aware of easy methods to choose them. (Try our candid Display screen Speak dialog with him here.)
What’s going to occur with the award-winners on the Oscars? Solely Norway’s household drama “Sentimental Worth” has the suitable stuff to win major Oscars past Greatest Worldwide Characteristic Movie. Neon is bound to push within the appearing classes Swedish veteran Stellan Skarsgård (“Breaking the Waves,” “Andor,” “Chernobyl”), who earned raves for his wily function as an getting old filmmaker making an attempt to make a comeback, and 2021 Cannes actress winner Renate Reinsve (“The Worst Particular person within the World”) as his estranged, neurotic actress daughter. Final yr, Reinsve’s “Armand” was submitted by Norway.
One other film Neon may rating an Oscar nomination for is Ugo Bienvenu’s charming French animated characteristic “Arco,” which, like “Movement,” has an eco-message. Neon beforehand launched “Flee” and “Robotic Desires” to Oscar nominations.
All of the Cannes winners now may have a greater shot at being submitted by their residence nation.
Jafar Panahi may gain advantage from the Academy’s new asylum rule: “The submitting nation should verify that artistic management of the movie was largely within the palms of residents, residents, or people with refugee or asylum standing within the submitting nation.” Whereas Panahi and Iran have been at odds for many years for his persevering with criticism of the federal government, and he filmed the film in secret, he has not but requested asylum from one other nation. That might change. However Iran is not going to submit the movie. Cinetic Media, which marketed seven of the winners on Saturday, advised that Luxembourg would possibly wind up in a position to submit “It was Simply an Accident.” France might also be a chance because the movie’s put up was accomplished there.
Belgium may select as its Oscar entry “Young Mothers,” which received Greatest Screenplay for the Dardenne brothers, who’ve received many prizes, together with two Palmes through the years. Belgium typically submits them for the Oscars, typically not.
Listed here are the doubtless nation submissions for Cannes award-winners for Greatest Worldwide Characteristic Movie, in alphabetical order:
“The Secret Agent” (Brazil)
“Sentimental Worth” (Norway)
“Sirât” (France or Spain)
“Sound of Falling” (Germany)
“Younger Moms” (Belgium)
Different movies that didn’t win prizes may additionally wind up within the Worldwide race, together with “Eagles of the Republic” (Competitors, Sweden) and “The Love That Stays” (Cannes Premiere, Iceland).
Sidebar award-winners additionally get a leg up. (Un Sure Regard award winners are here.) Distributors will take word that Frank Dillane received Greatest Actor in Un Sure Regard for his shifting and humorous portrait of an unhoused man in British actor Harris Dickinson’s debut characteristic “Urchin.” With the suitable push, he may wind up within the Greatest Actor race. Un Sure Regard Particular Jury Prize-winner “Un Poeta” may very well be submitted by Colombia. Additionally in Un Sure Regard however not profitable a prize is Nigerian-set “My Father’s Shadow,” which may very well be submitted by the UK.
Not profitable an award makes “Nouvelle Vague,” American director Richard Linklater’s French-produced homage to Jean-Luc Godard’s “Breathless,” a much less doubtless French entry. The movie is looking for distribution. Hafsia Herzi’s gross sales title “The Little Sister,” which took Greatest Actress for Nadia Melliti, may very well be the French submission as a substitute.
