Cannes Film Festival Winners 2017: The 7 movies that took home the top prizes
The 70th annual Cannes Film Festival, which ran from May 17 to May 28, has officially come to a close. This year, 19 films were selected to compete for the prestigious Palme d'Or — the top prize handed out each year at the festival — but, of course, only one could leave France with the prize.
Fortunately, more than one award is handed out at Cannes, so in-competition films that miss out on the Palme d'Or can still walk away with the Grand Prix, the Prix du Jury or an individual award for directing, acting or writing. So, without further delay, here are the films that took home the top prizes at Cannes.
1. The Square
Award: Palme d'Or
Written and directed by Ruben Östlund, The Square took home the top prize at the 70th annual Cannes Film Festival. The film follows Christian, played by Claes Bang, who hires a public relations agency to promote his latest art exhibit. The Square also stars Elisabeth Moss and Dominic West.
2. 120 Beats Per Minute
Award: Grand Prix
Directed by Robin Campillo, 120 Beats Per Minute was awarded the Grand Prix at the Cannes Film Festival. Exploring AIDS and homosexuality in the early 1990s, 120 Beats Per Minute is set in France and follows several members of the Paris chapter of the ACT UP activist group. The film has received near-universal acclaim, holding a stellar 96% on Rotten Tomatoes.
3. Loveless
Award: Prix du Jury
Directed by Andrey Zvyagintsev, Loveless left Cannes with the Prix du Jury. Set in Moscow, the film follows a couple in the midst of a bitter divorce who seem to completely neglect their 12-year-old son. But when the boy disappears, the couple must work together to find him.
4. The Beguiled
Award: Best director
At the 70th annual Cannes Film Festival, Sofia Coppola won the coveted best director prize for her film The Beguiled. With the award, Coppola became only the second woman ever to win best director at the prestigious film festival. In 2004, Coppola won a best original screenplay Oscar for penning Lost in Translation.
5. In the Fade
Award: Best actress
Perhaps best known for her roles in National Treasure and Inglourious Basterds, Diane Kruger won best actress at Cannes for her role in the German film In the Fade. In the movie, Kruger plays Katja, who is out for revenge after her husband and son are killed in a bombing.
6. You Were Never Really Here
Awards: Best actor, best screenplay
Multiple-Academy-Award-nominee Joaquin Phoenix took home the best actor award at Cannes for his role in You Were Never Really Here. In the film, Phoenix plays Joe, a war veteran who is hired to rescue children from sex-trafficking rings. You Were Never Really Here was written and directed by Lynne Ramsey, who won the best screenplay award.
7. The Killing of a Sacred Deer
Award: Best screenplay
This year, the best screenplay prize was awarded to the writers of two films. In addition to Lynne Ramsey, who won for You Were Never Really Here, Yorgos Lanthimos and Efthimis Filippou also took home the award for penning The Killing of a Sacred Deer.
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