The highlights of the closing ceremony were colourful. Hollywood and Bollywood stars had a lot to show at the 63rd Cannes Film Festival, but no single Nollywood star was on the red carpet. Nollywood was missing in action.
Apichatpong WEERASETHAKUL with the Palme d’OrThe 63rd Cannes Film Festival ended with the thai filmmaker, Apichatpong WEERASETHAKUL winning the Palme d’Or, the highest prize for his film “LUNG BOONMEE RALUEK CHAT (Uncle Boonmee Who Can Recall His Past Lives)”.
If Thailand can go as high as winning the most coveted prize at the Cannes, then Nigeria can produce the films that can qualify for competition and win top prizes.
What is the benefit of producing thousands of movies since 1992 to date and not a single Nollywood movie has even qualified for the Official Selection of the Cannes Film Festival?
Nigerian filmmakers must step up to compete with the best in the world or go and dump their mediocre movies in the Atlantic Ocean before coming to the Côte d’Azur and get dazed and fazed by the outstanding filmmakers from all over the world.
Congratulations to all the worthy winners.
Complete List of the Winners at the 63rd Cannes Film Festival
Feature films
Palme d’Or
LUNG BOONMEE RALUEK CHAT (Uncle Boonmee Who Can Recall His Past Lives) directed by Apichatpong WEERASETHAKUL
Grand Prix
DES HOMMES ET DES DIEUX (OF GODS AND MEN) directed by Xavier BEAUVOIS
Award for Best Director
Mathieu AMALRIC for TOURNÉE (ON TOUR)
Award for Best Screenplay
LEE Chang-dong for POETRY
Award for Best Actress
Juliette BINOCHE in COPIE CONFORME (CERTIFIED COPY) directed by Abbas KIAROSTAMI
Award for Best Actor Ex-aequo
Javier BARDEM in BIUTIFUL directed by Alejandro GONZÁLEZ IÑÁRRITU
Elio GERMANO in LA NOSTRA VITA (OUR LIFE) directed by Daniele LUCHETTI
Jury Prize
UN HOMME QUI CRIE (A screaming man) directed by Mahamat-Saleh HAROUN
Short Films
Palme d’Or – Short Film
CHIENNE D’HISTOIRE (BARKING ISLAND) directed by Serge AVÉDIKIAN
Jury Prize – Short Film
MICKY BADER (BATHING MICKY) directed by Frida KEMPFF
Un Certain Regard :
Un Certain Regard Prize – Groupama Gan Foundation for Cinema
HAHAHA directed by HONG Sangsoo
Jury Prize – Un Certain Regard
OCTUBRE (OCTOBER) directed by Daniel VEGA, Diego VEGA
Un Certain Regard Award for Best Actress
LOS LABIOS (THE LIPS) played by Victoria RAPOSO, Eva BIANCO, Adela SANCHEZ
Cinefondation :
1st Prize Cinéfondation
TAULUKAUPPIAAT (THE PAINTING SELLERS) directed by Juho KUOSMANEN
2nd Prize – Cinéfondation
COUCOU-LES-NUAGES (Anywhere out of the world) directed by Vincent CARDONA
3rd Prize Cinéfondation Ex-aequo
HINKERORT ZORASUNE (THE FIFTH COLUMN) directed by Vatche BOULGHOURJIAN
JA VEC JESAM SVE ONO ŠTO ŽELIM DA IMAM (I ALREADY AM EVERYTHING I WANT TO HAVE) directed by Dane KOMLJEN
Golden Camera :
Caméra d’or
AÑO BISIESTO directed by Michael ROWE
~ By Ekenyerengozi Michael Chima
