Cristian Mungiu’s Norwegian drama about political polarization Fjord has won the Palme d’Or, handing the Cannes Film Festival’s top honor for the second time to Mungiu, a Romanian director. 4 months, 3 weeks and 2 days.
At the 79th Cannes Film Festival which saw quite a few films break out, Fjord he gained a lot of attention for his fascinating story of what Mungiu called “leftist realism”.
It stars Sebastian Stan and Renate Reinsve as Romanian Evangelists who move to Norway, but soon after their children are taken from them by child services for beatings.
“Today society is divided. It is divided. It has extreme positions,” Mungiu said. “This film is a commitment against any kind of base. It’s a commitment to these things that we quote so often, like trauma and inclusion and compassion. These are beautiful words but we need to use them more often.”
Mungiu becomes only the 10th filmmaker to win the Palme d’Or twice. His 4 months, 3 weeks and 2 daysa Romanian abortion drama, won the award in 2007.
Victory for Fjord adds one of the most incredible film series. Neon, a specialty label, has now claimed seven Palme d’Or winners in a row. Fjord adds to his incredible streak, including last year’s champion, Jafar Panahi It was just an accidentand the 2024 winner, Anora. The latter went on to win best picture at the Oscars.
