Mohammad Rasoulof, the Iranian director, escaped a prison sentence in his home country just days before the Cannes Film Festival. He was awarded a special jury prize on Saturday. Rasoulof's film 'The Seed of the Sacred Fig' depicts the story of a court investigator whose family life is torn apart during protests. He expressed his solidarity with the crew, stating that they are 'still under the pressure of the secret services back in Iran'.
The best actress prize was jointly awarded to Trans Spanish actress Karla Sofia Gascon, pop star Selena Gomez, and Zoe Saldana for their roles in narco musical Emilia Perez. Gascon, moved to tears, accepted the prize on behalf of all three stars in the film by Cannes veteran Jacques Audiard. She thanked her family and dedicated it to 'all the trans people who are suffering'.
A jury led by Greta Gerwig honored US director Sean Baker with the Palme d'Or for 'Anora' after a politically charged 77th edition that featured blood, sex, and powerful feminist messages. 'Anora', directed by US indie director Baker, is a raw and often hilarious story about a New York erotic dancer who strikes gold with a wealthy client, only to face the wrath of his Russian oligarch parents.
The closing ceremony commenced at the renowned festival on the French Riviera with 22 entries in the main competition. Rasoulof escaped a lengthy prison sentence in his home country just days before the festival started last week. 'The Iranian regime... is in a panic that our stories will be told. It's absurd,' Rasoulof expressed to reporters at the festival on Saturday.
Star Wars creator George Lucas graced the red carpet as he prepared to receive an honorary Palme d'Or. Directing legend Francis Ford Coppola was also seen at the festival early Saturday, hinting at a potential award for his Ancient Roman fable 'Megalopolis'. Among the festival highlights was Sebastian Stan's portrayal of Donald Trump in 'The Apprentice', a remarkably nuanced biopic about the former US president's formative years. Trump's team denounced it as 'garbage' and vowed to sue over its depiction of him raping his wife.
