Among 21 films that were chosen for the main competition at the one of the most prestigious Film Festivals in the world last year, “Anatomy of a Fall” stood out since the day of its premiere, May 21. 

Even though it is only a third film directed by Justin Triet, there was no surprise when Ruben Östlund, the Jury President, announced the winner of the Palme d’Or. When Jane Fonda presented the Palme to the 44-years-old French director, she recalled that in 1963, the year of her first visit to Cannes, there were no female filmmakers competing "and it never even occurred to us that there was something wrong with that."

After the ceremony, Triet acknowledged: “Things are truly changing” Indeed, 60 years later," Triet became the third female director to win the Palme, following Julia Ducournau and Jane Campion. Three big “J”s.

Justine dedicated this prestigious award “to all the young women directors and all the young male directors and all those who cannot manage to shoot films today.” She added: "We must give them the space I occupied 15 years ago in a less hostile world where it was still possible to make mistakes and start again."

Best Actor -Kojo Yakusho!  Which I predicted it this morning after watching the “Perfect Days” by Wim Wenders. The final scene of this film shows an intellectual tree-lover who cleanes public toilets in Tokyo driving a car into his new day listening “I Am Feeling Good” with so many emotions on his face that Japanese actor Koji Yakusho (Babel and Memoirs of a Geisha) could be named A Best Actor tonight.

Best Actress - Merve Dizdar and also with Deniz Celiloğlu who also deserves to be awarded as The Best Actor from “About Dry Grass” by Turkish director Nuri Bilge Ceylan

Thanks, Cannes and see you next year!

Lena Basse