Neon CEO Tom Quinn took no possibilities this 12 months en path to profitable the corporate’s sixth Cannes Palme d’Or in a row, for Iranian dissident Jafar Panahi’s “It Was Simply an Accident.” He acquired the movie simply two days earlier than Saturday’s award ceremony. Neon additionally collected the pageant Jury Prize for “Sirât” (shared with MUBI’s latest purchase “Sound of Falling”), and two awards for Brazil’s “The Secret Agent” — Greatest Director (Kleber Mendonça Filho) and Actor (Wagner Moura ).
Neon got here out forward on the acquisitions derby, as MUBI’s starry $23-million pick-up “Die My Love,” from Scottish/British filmmaker Lynne Ramsay, got here up empty-handed. A Cannes Actress win for Jennifer Lawrence might have fueled an Oscar marketing campaign, however that loss received’t cease MUBI from pursuing that aim. Equally, though Oliver Hermanus’ muted American drama “Historical past of Sound” received nothing, Focus should pursue appearing campaigns for Paul Mescal and Josh O’Connor. And Sony Photos Classics will probably attempt to promote Academy voters on the virtues of June Squibb, the good nonagenarian star of Scarlett Johansson’s directing debut “Eleanor the Nice” (Un Sure Regard).
All of the American Competitors entries whiffed on the Cannes awards, together with Ari Aster’s political western “Eddington” (A24), Julia Reichardt’s “The Mastermind” (Mubi), and Wes Anderson’s sketchy “The Phoenician Scheme” (Focus). One of many in style movies at Cannes was Spike Lee’s Out of Competitors “Highest 2 Lowest” (Apple TV+/A24, August 22) starring the mighty Denzel Washington. The extraordinary New York household drama, tailored from Akira Kurosawa’s “Excessive and Low,” wasn’t in Competitors as a result of the pageant wasn’t positive they’d get Washington on the crimson carpet. To their shock and delight, the 70-year-old made the journey on his sooner or later off from Broadway’s “Othello,” Monday Might 19, and accepted a shock Honorary Palme d’Or from Lee. That type of publicity fuels an Oscar marketing campaign.
All of the Cannes awards winners are right here.
Neon got here into the pageant with its pre-production acquisition from Cannes 2024, Norwegian director Joachim Trier’s “Sentimental Worth,” which took residence the pageant’s second prize, the Grand Prix. Quinn clearly is aware of tips on how to decide them. (Take a look at our candid Display screen Speak dialog with him right here.)
What is going to occur with the award-winners on the Oscars? Solely Norway’s household drama “Sentimental Worth” has the best stuff to win main Oscars past Greatest Worldwide Function Movie. Neon is certain to push within the appearing classes Swedish veteran Stellan Skarsgård (“Breaking the Waves,” “Andor,” “Chernobyl”), who earned raves for his wily function as an getting old filmmaker making an attempt to make a comeback, and 2021 Cannes actress winner Renate Reinsve (“The Worst Individual within the World”) as his estranged, neurotic actress daughter. Final 12 months, Reinsve’s “Armand” was submitted by Norway.
One other film Neon might rating an Oscar nomination for is Ugo Bienvenu’s charming French animated function “Arco,” which, like “Move,” has an eco-message. Neon beforehand launched “Flee” and “Robotic Goals” to Oscar nominations.
All of the Cannes winners now can have a greater shot at being submitted by their residence nation.
Jafar Panahi may gain advantage from the Academy’s new asylum rule: “The submitting nation should verify that inventive management of the movie was largely within the palms of residents, residents, or people with refugee or asylum standing within the submitting nation.” Whereas Panahi and Iran have been at odds for many years for his persevering with criticism of the federal government, and he filmed the film in secret, he has not but requested asylum from one other nation. That might change. However Iran is not going to submit the movie. Cinetic Media, which marketed seven of the winners on Saturday, advised that Luxembourg would possibly wind up capable of submit “It was Simply an Accident.” France may be a risk because the movie’s publish was accomplished there.
Belgium might select as its Oscar entry “Younger Moms,” which received Greatest Screenplay for the Dardenne brothers, who’ve received many prizes, together with two Palmes over time. Belgium typically submits them for the Oscars, typically not.
Listed below are the probably nation submissions for Cannes award-winners for Greatest Worldwide Function Movie, in alphabetical order:
“The Secret Agent” (Brazil)
“Sentimental Worth” (Norway)
“Sirât” (France or Spain)
“Sound of Falling” (Germany)
“Younger Moms” (Belgium)
Different movies that didn’t win prizes might additionally wind up within the Worldwide race, together with “Eagles of the Republic” (Competitors, Sweden) and “The Love That Stays” (Cannes Premiere, Iceland).
Sidebar award-winners additionally get a leg up. (Un Sure Regard award winners are right here.) Distributors will take word that Frank Dillane received Greatest Actor in Un Sure Regard for his shifting and humorous portrait of an unhoused man in British actor Harris Dickinson’s debut function “Urchin.” With the best push, he might wind up within the Greatest Actor race. Un Sure Regard Particular Jury Prize-winner “Un Poeta” could possibly be submitted by Colombia. Additionally in Un Sure Regard however not profitable a prize is Nigerian-set “My Father’s Shadow,” which could possibly be submitted by the UK.
Not profitable an award makes “Nouvelle Obscure,” American director Richard Linklater’s French-produced homage to Jean-Luc Godard’s “Breathless,” a much less probably French entry. The movie is searching for distribution. Hafsia Herzi’s gross sales title “The Little Sister,” which took Greatest Actress for Nadia Melliti, could possibly be the French submission as an alternative.
