‘The Square,’ Sofia Coppola, Nicole Kidman, Diane Kruger, Joaquin Phoenix Win Top Awards at 2017 Cannes Film Festival

Sandra Miska

History was made on May 28 when American director Sofia Coppola became only the second woman ever to win the coveted Best Director Palme d’Or at the 70th annual Cannes Film Festival in Cannes, France. Coppola was awarded the prize for helming the female-driven Civil War drama “The Beguiled.” New Zealander Jane Campion took home the award in 1993 for “The Piano.” One of the stars of “The Beguiled,” Nicole Kidman, was also honored with a special prize for the festival’s 70th anniversary. While both Coppola and Kidman walked the red carpet for the premiere of “The Beguiled,” neither were able to attend the awards ceremony, leaving German director Maren Ade and Will Smith, respectively, to accept on their behalves.

“The Square,” a Swedish satire starring Chase Bang, Elisabeth Moss, and Dominic West won the top Palme d’Or. Writer-director Ruben Ostlund accepted the award, and from the stage, he led the crowd in a “scream of happiness.” The festival’s second-most prestigious prize, the Grand Prix, went to “120 Beats per Minute,” a French drama from director Robin Campillo about the AIDS crisis in France during the 1990s.

Scottish filmmaker Lynne Ramsay, took the Best Screenplay award for “You Were Never Really Here,” a thriller she also directed. Joaquin Phoenix won the Best Actor award for his portrayal of a veteran who attempts to save a victim of sex trafficking. Ramsey shared her award with “The Killing of a Sacred Deer” scribes Yorgos Lanthimos and Efthymis Filippou. Director Lanthimos, who previously helmed “The Lobster,” was reunited with Colin Farrell for this psychological thriller that co-starred Nicole Kidman.

The other top acting award went to Diane Kruger. Kruger, who was born and raised and Germany, returned to her roots to make her first German-language film, Faith Akin’s courtroom and revenge drama “In the Fade.” She dedicated her Best Actress award to the victims of terror.  

Along with Maren Ade and Will Smith, this year’s Cannes jury also included Jessica Chastain and Italian director Paolo Sorrentino. Spanish director Pedro Almodóvar served as President of the Jury. The group awarded the jury prize to Russian drama “Loveless.”

The 70th annual Cannes Film Festival took play May 17 – May 28 in Cannes, France.