Ken Loach Wins Again at Cannes

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An ensemble of prize-winners at the Cannes closing ceremony

“The Wind that Shakes the Barley” director wins his second Palme d’Or

The critics’ favourite all week was blown away by another dose of social reality from veteran British left-wing film-maker Ken Loach. Ten years after his triumph with “The Wind that Shakes the Barley”, he became part of an elite club of just nine film directors (including the Dardenne brothers, Michael Haneke and Francis Ford Coppola) who have come away twice with the Palme d’Or – arguably the most important cinematic prize in the world.

Even though there were no Irish films in competition, Irish cinematographer and Dún Laoghaire graduate Robbie Ryan was the man with the golden lens behind two major prize-winners – Loach’s aforementioned film and the Anglo-American Jury Prize-winning film “American Honey”.

It was also a double delight for 27-year-old Canadian wunderkind Xavier Dolan. His film “Juste la fin du Monde” (It’s Only the End of the World) was awarded the Grand Prix du Jury, adding to his 2014 Jury prize for “Mommy”.

After thanking the jury – led by Jury President Australian director George Miller – in French, Loach continued his impassioned acceptance speech in English, stressing the importance of cinema to fire the imagination but which also shines a light on the world in which we live: “This world is in a dangerous situation. It is guided by neo-liberal ideas that threaten to lead us to catastrophe. They have brought misery to millions of people in Greece and Portugal… When there is despair, the people from the far right take advantage… We must say that another world is possible and necessary.”

The award was a surprise one. All week long, the critics’ favourite was the German film “Toni Erdmann” by Maren Ade. It was tipped to win not only the Palme d’Or but in a number of other categories as well. Despite the hopes of many that it would finally mean only the second female director in the 69-year history of Cannes to win a Palme d’Or, it came away empty-handed. C’est la vie à Cannes…

Full List of Awards in Cannes 2016:

Palme D’Or:
I, DANIEL BLAKE, by Ken Loach

Grand Prix:
JUSTE LA FIN DU MONDE by XAVIER DOLAN

Best Director Award:
Olivier ASSAYAS for PERSONAL SHOPPER
Cristian MUNGIU for BACALAUREAT

Jury Prize:
AMERICAN HONEY by Andrea ARNOLD

Best Actress Award:
Jaclyn JOSE in MA’ROSA by BRILLANTE MENDOZA


Best Actor Award:

Shahab HOSSEINI in FORUSHANDE (THE SALESMAN) by Asghar FARHADI

Best Screenplay Award:
Asghar FARHADI for THE SALESMAN

SHORT FILMS – COMPETITION

Palme d’or:
TIMECODE by Juanjo GIMENEZ

CAMÉRA D’OR:

DIVINES by Houda BENYAMINA

The veteran French actor Jean-Pierre LEAUD, received an honorary Palme d’Or for his lifetime of work in film.

Cannes Awards Ceremony in Pictures

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