Cannes 2019: Antonio Banderas wins Best Actor for Pain and Glory; Mati Diop's Atlantics bags Grand Prix

The 72nd edition of Cannes Film Festival officially came to a close on 25 May with the announcement of the winners of this years’ films and performances. This year, the jury was headed by Oscar winning-director Alejandro González Iñárritu, and also included Elle Fanning, Maimouna N’Diaye, Kelly Reichardt, Enki Bilal, Alice Rohrwacher, Robin Campillo, Yorgos Lanthimos and Paweł Pawlikowski.

Korean filmmaker Bong Joon-ho bagged the prestigious Palme d’Or with his satirical dramedy,   Parasite . French-Senegalese director Mati Diop, who was the first black female filmmaker in the Cannes Film Festival’s competition in its 72-year history, won the Grand Prix prize for her film,  Atlantics .

Mati Diop, lauréate du Grand Prix pour ATLANTIQUE.
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Mati Diop, award winner of the Grand Prix for ATLANTIQUE (ATLANTICS).
—#Cannes2019 #Awards #GrandPrix #Atlantique pic.twitter.com/IIqIWQwNvK

— Festival de Cannes (@Festival_Cannes) May 25, 2019

Antonio Banderas, lauréat du Prix d'interprétation masculine dans DOLOR Y GLORIA (DOULEUR ET GLOIRE) de Pedro Almodóvar.
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Antonio Banderas, winner of the Best performance for an actor in DOLOR Y GLORIA (PAIN AND GLORY) by Pedro Almodóvar.
—#Cannes2019 #Awards #DolorYGloria pic.twitter.com/WRrcDeqgep

— Festival de Cannes (@Festival_Cannes) May 25, 2019

The award for the best actress went to British actor Emily Beecham for Jessica Hausner’s Little Joe whereas Antonio Banderas scooped up the Best Actor prize for Pedro Almodóvar’s semi-autobiographical Pain and Glory. 

Jean-Pierre & Luc Dardenne, lauréats du Prix de la mise en scène pour LE JEUNE AHMED.
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Jean-Pierre & Luc Dardenne, award winners of the Best Directors for LE JEUNE AHMED (YOUNG AHMED).
—#Cannes2019 #Awards #LeJeuneAhmed pic.twitter.com/DBbrTEMccm

— Festival de Cannes (@Festival_Cannes) May 25, 2019

Belgium’s  Dardenne brothers won the best director award for their story of a radicalised Muslim youth, _Young Ahmed._The pair are already Cannes legends with two Palme d’Or prizes under their belt, and Luc Dardenne said they wanted to show how a “young militant might develop his views”, paying tribute to young actor Idir Ben Addi for turning it into reality.

Meanwhile, Netflix has acquired the worldwide rights for Atlantics and the Critics’ Week Award winner I Lost My Body, reports Variety. For Atlantics, the worldwide deal excludes several countries such as China, Benelux, Switzerland, Russia and France. For I Lost My Body, the deal does not include China, Benelux, Turkey and France.

Here’s a full list of winners at 2019 Cannes Film Festival

Palme d’Or

Parasite, Bong Joon-ho

Grand Prix

Atlantics, Mati Diop

Best Director(s)

Jean-Pierre and Luc Dardenne, The Young Ahmed

Best Actor

Antonio Banderas, Pain And Glory

Best Actress

Emily Beecham, Little Joe

Jury Prize 

Les Misérables, Ladj Ly

(tie with)

Bacurau, Kleber Mendonça Filho, Juliano Dornelles

Best Screenplay

Portrait of a Lady on Fire, Céline Sciamma

Special Mention

It Must Be Heaven, Elia Suleiman

Camera d’Or

Our Mothers, Cesar Diaz

Best Screenplay

Portrait of a Lady on Fire, Céline Sciamma

Special Mention of the Jury

It Must Be Heaven, Elia Suleiman

Camera d’Or: 

Our Mothers, César Díaz

Short Film Palme d’Or

The Distance Between Us And The Sky, Vasilis Kekatos

Special Mention of the Jury

Monstruo Dios, Agustina San

Queer Palm (Feature)

Portrait of a Lady on Fire, Céline Sciamma

Queer Palm (Short)

The Distance Between Us And The Sky, Vasilis Kekatos

(With inputs from Agence France-Presse)