Meet the 77th Festival winners

Sean Baker, Palme d’Or winner for Anora

This Palme is for all sex workers, I’ve spoken about them in several of my films, all these individual stories may not change the world but they can help to eliminate prejudice. I hope it will help people to see sex workers in a more positive light. Anora isn’t exactly a mainstream film, but I hope that thanks to the Palme d’Or, we’ll be able to show it in cinemas and remind the general public that films like this do exist.

Payal Kapadia, Grand Prix for All We Imagine as Light

I’ve had the joy of working with wonderful actresses who have become close friends. What we experienced in real life has been brought to life on screen. It’s great that more and more films are being made by women. Things are gradually changing and becoming more inclusive. Great films are being made in India and each state has a very strong industry, but it took thirty years for an Indian film to be selected again at Cannes.

Mohammad Rasoulof, Special Jury Prize for The Seed of the Sacred Fig

The Cannes Festival is the best way for the film to find its audience, especially for all those millions of Iranians who were pushed out of their country by the totalitarian regime, spread all over the world, and who today, thanks to technology and social media, have a common cause and an identity throughout the world.

Jacques Audiard, Jury Prize for Emilia Pérez

I don’t know if I have a winning formula, formulas are the opposite of cinema. My attitude to time is probably part of the answer as I started directing quite late. I don’t build things in a linear way, but in a constantly renewed present. It’s the only way I can keep making films.

Coralie Fargeat, Award for Best Screenplay for The Substance

It took me two years to write it. When there’s so little dialogue, the writing is all the more important. Genre and humour are intimately linked for me. Having humour in a genre film is a way of embracing excess. The genre is a way of letting go, it means you don’t have to be afraid of the ridiculous, and it’s a way of distancing yourself.

Miguel Gomes, Award for Best Director for Grand Tour

When you work with different types of footage, taken from real life and shot in a film studio, you have to make the transition between these two worlds as seamless as possible. This was the main challenge for Grand Tour. We created a space where viewers could be more active. Generally speaking, there’s an unbalanced relationship between spectators and films, because spectators can often only sit and watch. They’re a bit like the puppets of the film.

Karla Sofía Gascón, joint Best Actress Award with Selena Gomez and Zoe Saldaña for Emila Pérez

I never thought I’d experience a moment like this. Especially for someone like me, who has mostly been kicked about. This award isn’t just for me, it’s for everyone who is fighting to be themselves. We’ve had enough of the hatred we’ve had to endure. If just one family could understand, then this prize would mean so much. The message of this film is that there’s always a way to change and improve, no matter how distressing things may be.

Halfdan Ullmann Tøndel, Caméra d’Or for Armand

It was a real adventure when I noticed that people were starting to talk about the film. I noticed that they were paying attention to certain details. It was a good thing that we took risks and that people really enjoyed it. For me, the important thing is to start thinking about the next film.

Chiang Wei Liang, Special Mention for the Caméra d’or Jury with Mongrel

Some members of the public have come up to me in the last few days to tell me that they have the same job as the film’s protagonist, i.e. caring for others. The actors have also been praised in the street for their performance. We’re extremely happy about that.

Nebojša Slijepcevic, Short Film Palme d’Or winner for The Man Who Could Not Remain Silent

If I was in the shoes of the main character in my film, I wouldn’t have dared to do what he did. We have to try everything to create something together. It’s Croatia’s first Palme d’Or, and my phone won’t stop ringing. Everyone is expecting me to make a feature film, but we’ll see.

Daniel Soares, Special Mention for Short Film with Bad For a Moment

We’re a small country, Portugal. It’s great to see mine and Miguel Gomes’ film representing our country.