All posts tagged: Palme

Fjord has won the Cannes Palme d’Or – but was it a deserving winner?

Fjord has won the Cannes Palme d’Or – but was it a deserving winner?

Published by Daniella Wilson

Get the latest entertainment news, reviews and star-studded interviews with our Independent Culture email Get the latest entertainment news with our free Culture newsletter Get the latest entertainment news with our free Culture newsletter Cristian Mungiu’s Fjord has been awarded the coveted Palme d’Or at the Cannes Film Festival, becoming the 10th director to win a second time – but was it a deserving winner? The acclaimed filmmaker, who previously won for his 2007 abortion drama 4 Months, 3 Weeks and 2 Days, has scooped the top prize for his new drama starring Sebastian Stan and Renate Reinsve as Romanian Evangelicals who relocate to Norway, and clash with the progressive locals after being accused of hitting their children. Below, The Independent’s Chief Film and TV Correspondent, Jacob Stolworthy, breaks down whether Fjord should have won the Palme d’Or – and looks at the other contenders. Mungiu’s latest triumph further extends an extraordinary streak for specialty distributor Neon, which has now been associated with the last seven Palme d’Or winners. This unprecedented run underscores the label’s …

Cannes Film Festival 2026 Palme d’Or winner: Fjord by Cristian Mungiu

Cannes Film Festival 2026 Palme d’Or winner: Fjord by Cristian Mungiu

Published by Sam Flores

Romanian director Cristian Mungiu won the Cannes Film ​Festival’s Palme d’Or top prize for the second time on Saturday with his Norwegian-set drama that explores clashing cultures, Fjord. This year’s ‌jury president, South Korean director Park Chan-wook, praised the film for helping shed light on understanding different views “in an artistically magnificent manner”. Celebrities including Geena Davis, who was featured on this year’s festival poster in a shot from 1991’s Thelma & Louise, as well as Tilda Swinton and Gael Garcia Bernal appeared on stage to introduce the prizes in a ceremony ​that was largely free of politics and full of praise for cinema. FJORD TACKLES CONSERVATIVE-PROGRESSIVE DIVIDE Winning an award at Cannes typically transforms careers ​and serves as a launch pad for the Oscars, with Palme d’Or winners often carrying strong awards season momentum. Fjord ⁠stars Sebastian Stan, who made his name in the Captain America trilogy, as a Romanian IT specialist who decides to move his family of ​seven to the Norwegian village where his wife, played by Sentimental Value standout Renate Reinsve, was born. Cultural …

Cristian Mungiu wins his second Palme d’Or for Norway-set drama Fjord

Cristian Mungiu wins his second Palme d’Or for Norway-set drama Fjord

Published by Daniella Wilson

Get the latest entertainment news, reviews and star-studded interviews with our Independent Culture email Get the latest entertainment news with our free Culture newsletter Get the latest entertainment news with our free Culture newsletter Cristian Mungiu’s Norway-set drama, Fjord, has clinched the prestigious Palme d’Or at the Cannes Film Festival, marking a historic second win for the Romanian director. The acclaimed filmmaker, previously honored for his 2007 abortion drama 4 Months, 3 Weeks and 2 Days, now joins an elite group of just ten directors to have received Cannes’ top prize twice. Fjord captivated audiences with its engrossing narrative exploring political polarization, which Mungiu himself described as “left-wing fundamentalism.” The film stars Sebastian Stan and Renate Reinsve as Romanian Evangelicals who relocate to Norway, only to have their children removed by child services following an incident involving spanking. Mungiu’s latest triumph further extends an extraordinary streak for specialty distributor Neon, which has now been associated with the last seven Palme d’Or winners. This unprecedented run underscores the label’s discerning eye for critically acclaimed cinema. Cristian …

Cannes Palme d’Or Goes to Renate Reinsve, Sebastian Stan Starrer Fjord

Cannes Palme d’Or Goes to Renate Reinsve, Sebastian Stan Starrer Fjord

Published by Daniella Wilson

Cristian Mungiu‘s Fjord, the Romanian director’s English-language debut starring Renate Reinsve and Sebastian Stan as Romanian religious parents who relocate to a small Norwegian village and find themselves accused of child abuse, has won the Palme d’Or at the 79th Cannes Film Festival. With the win, Mungiu joins Cannes’ elite two-timer club, following his 2007 victory with 4 Months, 3 Weeks and 2 Days, his searing account of illegal abortion in Communist-era Romania. For those keeping score, this marks the seventh year running that Neon has successfully picked the Palme winner. Tom Quinn’s indie outfit snatched up Fjord for domestic release ahead of this year’s festival. At the press conference right after the ceremony, South Korean director Park Chan-wook, head of the 2026 competition jury, joked he didn’t want to give the Palme d’Or to anyone, “because it’s an award that I myself have never gotten.” Then, after a long pause, and referencing his last film, he landed the punch line. “But I had No Other Choice.” Andreï Zvyagintsev’s Minotaur, a reworking of Chabrol’s The …

Why Barbra Streisand Can’t Receive Her Honorary Palme d’Or in Person

Why Barbra Streisand Can’t Receive Her Honorary Palme d’Or in Person

Published by Sam Flores

She was the most eagerly awaited guest at the closing ceremony of the Cannes Film Festival, but Barbra Streisand, 84, will not be able to make the trip to receive this year’s honorary Palme d’Or in person due to health problems. The singer released a statement on Sunday: “On the advice of my doctors, as I continue recovering from a knee injury, I am sadly unable to attend the Festival de Cannes this year…But I am deeply honored to receive the Honorary Palme d’or and had so been looking forward to celebrating the remarkable films of the 79th edition. I was also very much looking forward to spending time with colleagues whom I so admire—and, of course, returning to France, a place I have always loved. While I regret that I can’t be there in person, I want to extend my warmest congratulations to all of the filmmakers from around the world whose extraordinary talent and creative vision are being celebrated this year. My heartfelt thanks to the Festival, and to everyone who continues to …

Barbra Streisand to Receive Honorary Palme d’Or in Cannes

Barbra Streisand to Receive Honorary Palme d’Or in Cannes

Published by Daniella Wilson

Legendary singer/actress/director Barbra Streisand will be feted by the Cannes Film Festival this year with a honorary Palme d’Or for her life’s work. Cannes unveiled the award on Wednesday, calling Streisand “an iconic artist and embodiment of the American dream in all its original splendor.” The EGOT winner has never had a film in Cannes before. She will make her Croisette debut on stage this year, receiving the honorary Palme at the Cannes awards ceremony on May 23. “It is with a sense of pride and deep humility, that I’m honored to join the company of past Honorary Palme d’Or recipients whose work has long inspired me,” Streisand said in a statement. “In these challenging times, movies have the ability to open our hearts and minds to stories that reflect our shared humanity, and to perspectives that remind us of both our fragility and our resilience. Cinema transcends borders and politics, and affirms the power of imagination to shape a more compassionate world.” Among her many achievements across music, cinema and stage, Streisand is a …