Overview
- Cristian Mungiu secured the Palme d’Or on Sunday at the 79th Cannes Film Festival, becoming one of a small group of directors to win the award twice.
- Fjord, starring Sebastian Stan and Renate Reinsve, follows a devout Romanian family in Norway whose clash with child-protection authorities drives the film’s moral and cultural tensions.
- A nine-member jury led by Park Chan-wook awarded the prizes, with notable members including Demi Moore and Chloé Zhao helping choose the winners.
- The win extends specialty distributor Neon’s recent run of Palme-linked films and Neon will release Fjord in the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, Australia and New Zealand while Goodfellas handles other territories.
- Critics described this Cannes edition as quieter and more auteur-focused than recent years, and Fjord’s victory is likely to increase its international sales, festival bookings and awards-season visibility.