“Justine Triet Makes History with Third Female Win of Cannes’ Golden Palm for ‘Anatomy of a Fall'”

The most important prize at the Cannes Film Festival, the Golden Palm, has been won by Anatomy of a Fall, by the French director Justine Triet (44). It is the third time in the festival’s history that a woman has won the prize.

Anatomy of a Fall, actually Anatomy of a fall, is about a writer who tries to prove that she is not guilty of her husband’s murder. The writer is played by the German Sandra Hüller.

Triet received the Golden Palm from the now 85-year-old Jane Fonda. The jury that decided who received the prizes was chaired by the Swedish director Ruben Östlund, who last year Triangle of Sadness was allowed to pick up the second Golden Palm in his career. 21 films competed for the prestigious prize at the 76th edition of the festival.

Next Anatomy of a Fall was Zone of Interest one of the favorites for the Golden Palm. That film by director Jonathan Glazer won the Grand Prix, the second most important prize in Cannes.

Zone of Interest tells about the ordinary daily life of an Auschwitz commander who lives with his family next to the extermination camp. The horrors of the Holocaust – practically in their backyard – only appear indirectly.

In the individual awards, the French-Vietnamese filmmaker Tran Anh Hùng was named best director for his romantic The Passion of Dodin Bouffant. Turkish actress Merve Dizdar was awarded for her role in On Dry Herbs, a more than three-hour drama film. The protagonist of Perfect DaysKōji Yakusho from Japan, also received an award.

True to tradition, there were also controversies in Cannes this year, for example around the visit of the American actor Johnny Depp. He appeared on the red carpet on opening day for his starring role in the film that kicked off the festival: Jeanne du Barry, about King Louis XV and his mistress.

Depp won a lawsuit against his ex Amber Heard last year, who accused him of domestic violence. Heard supporters took to social media with the hashtag #CannesYouNot. The praise of the audience was no less: the film by Depp and director Maïwenn was applauded for seven minutes.

The film festival in the French seaside resort, which lasted more than a week and a half, ended with Pixar’s latest film, Elemental.