Mi sono innamorato di te… This was the love song that the actress Chiara Mastroianni was humming as she made her appearance this evening on the stage of the Grand Théâtre Lumière to open the 76th Festival de Cannes and welcome the Jury that will award the Palme d’or at the end of these twelve days of celebration of world cinema, “which has always transported us by its beauty, its force and its joy.”
After reminding us that the Festival’s raison d’être since its founding in 1946 still remains elation and liberty, Chiara Mastroianni invited up beside her the Moroccan director Maryam Touzani, the French actor Denis Ménochet, the British-Zambian screenwriter and director Rungano Nyoni, the American actress and director Brie Larson, the American actor Paul Dano, the Afghan writer Atiq Rahimi, the Argentine director Damián Szifron and the French director Julia Ducournau, who make up the Feature Film jury presided over by the Swedish director Ruben Östlund.
“What makes cinema unique is watching films together, physically in the same room”, said the director of six films, two of which have already won the Palme d’or: The Square in 2017 and Triangle of Sadness in 2022.
The performance of “Stand by Me” by the Californian group Gabriels was quite moving for the members of the family of film present in Cannes this evening. The actress Uma Thurman then called to the stage the special guest of this 76th edition: “The Honorary Palme d’or is attributed to those who have had a deep and lasting impact on cinema. I don’t see how anyone other than Michael Douglas could be more deserving. A unique titan, an eternal star and a radiant artist.”
The American actor and producer received the trophy and the honour with a standing ovation from the audience.
“After years of an epidemic and wars that are tearing the world apart, more than ever, this festival reminds us that there is something positive. Cinema underlines our commonalities, can transcend our limits and unite human beings. To Cannes and to France: I embrace you with all my heart.”
Finally, it was in tandem with the great Catherine Deneuve, to whom the Festival’s poster pays tribute this year, that the American star declared the 76th edition open.
The Closing Ceremony will take place on Saturday May 27th, at 8:30 pm and broadcast live on France 2 and internationally on Brut. The ‘Last Screening’, Elemental, directed by Peter Sohn, will follow in the Grand Théâtre Lumière Auditorium.
Closing Ceremony of the 76th Festival de Cannes
Saturday May 27th at 8:30 pm live on France 2
After 11 days of Festival, the jury will give the awards during the closing ceremony. It will take place on May 27th, beginning at 8:30 pm and broadcasting live on France 2. The ‘Last Screening’ Elemental, directed by Peter Sohn, will then be shown in the Grand Théâtre Lumière.
The 21 films competing for the Palme d’or this year are : Firebrand by Karim Aïnouz, Asteroid City by Wes Anderson, Rapito (Kidnapped) by Marco Bellocchio, Les Filles d’Olfa (Four Daughters) by Kaouther Ben Hania, L’Été dernier (Last Summer) by Catherine Breillat, Kuru Otlar Ustune (About Dry Grasses) by Nuri Bilge Ceylan, Le Retour (Homecoming) by Catherine Corsini, The Zone Of Interest by Jonathan Glazer, Club Zero by Jessica Hausner, May December by Todd Haynes, Monster by Kore-Eda Hirokazu, Kuolleet Lehdet (Fallen Leaves) by Aki Kaurismäki, The Old Oak by Ken Loach, Il Sol dell’ avvenire (A Brighter Tomorrow) by Nanni Moretti, La Chimera by Alice Rohrwacher, Black Flies by Jean-Stéphane Sauvaire, Banel e Adama by Ramata-Toulaye Sy, La Passion de Dodin Bouffant (The Pot-au-Feu) by Tran Anh Hùng, Anatomie d’une chute (Anatomy Of A Fall) by Justine Triet, Jeunesse (Le Printemps) (Youth (Spring)) by Wang Bing, Perfect Days by Wim Wenders.
