Cannes, unlike the Oscars, has traditionally focused on niche and art house cinema. This festival, deeply rooted in French culture, has often celebrated films that appeal to auteur enthusiasts while being overlooked by mainstream audiences. However, this trend is shifting.
The Shift in Cannes’ Influence
This year, the Palme d’Or, the top prize at Cannes, was awarded to “Fjord,” a multilingual drama from Romanian filmmaker Cristian Mungiu. The film, set against the backdrop of cultural conflicts, is a testament to Cannes’ evolving reach. To explore this shift further, I spoke with Kyle Buchanan, our awards season columnist, about the festival’s impact and notable films that have emerged from it.
Changing Perceptions of Cannes
The allure of Cannes is not confined to art house aficionados anymore. The festival has become a significant starting point for awards season. For instance, “Anora,” which won the Palme d’Or at Cannes two years ago, later triumphed at the Oscars, taking home awards for best picture, best director, and best actress. Similarly, “Sentimental Value” and “The Secret Agent,” both of which received Cannes accolades last year, were nominated for best picture at the Oscars.
Cannes has traditionally contributed at most one nominee for best picture each year. But this changed dramatically when “Parasite” won the Palme d’Or in 2019 and went on to become the first non-English language film to win the Oscar for best picture. Since then, the significance of Cannes in the awards circuit has grown. For instance, last year saw four out of the five international film nominees premiering at Cannes.
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