PRESS CONFERENCE – Meet the winners of the 68th Festival de Cannes

Their work was rewarded on stage at the Grand Théâtre Lumière, after which they faced journalists’ questions for one final time. As the event comes to a close, we get the first reactions of the winners.

 

Jacques Audiard, winner of the Palme d’or for Dheepan:

“The film has a happy ending because he agrees to what she wants. I liked this idea of a man accepting a woman’s wishes. What interests me is the other person’s perspective, and how we view the people that sell roses in restaurants. These people come from somewhere”.

 

László Nemes, winner of the Grand Prix for Saul Fia (Son of Saul):

“I think that Europe is still haunted by the extermination of the Jews in Europe. In Hungary there were lots of deportations and I don’t think that it is simply a page in history. I wanted to approach this issue from a new angle, and felt it was important to speak to the generation of survivors; there are fewer and fewer of them left”.

 

Hou Hsiao-Hsien, winner of the Best Director Award for Nie Yinniang (The Assassin):

“Once you reach a certain depth, it becomes about human beings, their way of life and what is becoming culture. And once it becomes about human beings, you are left with something universal.”

 

Michel Franco, winner of the Best Screenplay award for Chronic:

“I wrote this script from a personal story, I wondered about the lives of the people who deal with such serious issues every day. So I mustn’t forget to dedicate this award to my grandmother.”

 

Yorgos Lanthimos, winner of the Jury Prize for The Lobster:

“You always try to do something different in a film, which makes it hard to achieve unanimous approval. So to win an award is extraordinary.”

 

Vincent Lindon, winner of the Best Actor Award for his role in La Loi du marché (The Measure of a Man):

“When it comes to your true secrets, you need someone to draw them out. Stéphane Brizé brought out things in me that I wasn’t even aware of myself. I feel like all the parts I have played prior to this one were all leading up to what I give in this role”.

 

Todd Haynes, speaking about Rooney Mara’s Best Actress Award for her role in Carol:

“She is remarkable, it’s an honour to be here to pay tribute to her. Both actresses are extraordinary, it’s thanks to them that the film works.”

 

Emmanuelle Bercot, Best Actress Award for her role in Mon Roi:

“Sharing the award means there’s less weight on my shoulders. It’s the third time I’ve won a prize at Cannes, and every time I share it, which is fine by me. I hope one day to play a role as wonderful as this one, but I won’t hold my breath!”

 

Cesar Augusto Acevedo, winner of the Caméra d’or for La Tierra y La Sombra (Land and Shade):

“It’s a film about the history, identity and memory of a people, there is a sense of progress.”

 

Ely Dagher, winner of the Short Film Palme d’or for Waves ’98:

“Fiction was an obvious choice”