Cannes Winners: "Tree of Life" Takes the Palme d?Or

After a tight race, Robert De Niro?s jury planted Terrence Malick?s Tree of Life in Festival de Cannes history with the coveted Palme d?Or at a closing ceremony on Sunday night.

While Malick took his time to finish the highly anticipated project, it proved worth the wait when Tree was crowned victorious among the solid titles in this year?s lineup.

De Niro and his jury including Jude Law, Uma Thurman, Martina Gusman, Nansun Shi, Linn Ullmann, Olivier Assayas, Mahamat Saleh Haroun and Johnnie To took to the stage to present their pick for the best film of this year?s tight race.

?We?re extremely happy, we had wonderful films and a wonderful jury,? Thurman said on her way into the theater before the ceremony.

?It was a great experience,? De Niro said in French before announcing the prizes. ?I hope that it?s OK,? he added.

Nicolas Winding Refn was named Best Director for his automotive thriller Drive starring Ryan Gosling. The director thanked a list of people he?d written on his iPhone. Refn thanked star Gosling who stayed in Cannes to attend the ceremony.

Sunday night certainly didn?t mark the end of the world for Kirsten Dunst who was named Best Actress for her role in Lars Von Trier?s Melancholia.

?Thank you so much. Wow ? what a week it?s been,? Dunst said, adding: ?This is an honor that?s once in a lifetime. Thank you to the Cannes Film Festival for allowing the film to still be in Competition.? Dunst also thanked ?persona non grata? Von Trier: ??I want to thank Lars for giving me the opportunity to be so brave in this film. It?s such a special night for me.?

Maiwenn?s ensemble drama Poliss earned the young director the Jury Prize. The film was recently sold to Sundance Selects stateside. The director-actress gave a tearful and moving acceptance speech thanking her cast, crew and family before the film?s large ensemble cast joined her on stage for a photo.

The Grand Prix was shared by the Dardenne Brothers? for their latest festival entry The Kid with a Bike and Nuri Bilge Ceylan for Once Upon a Time in Anatolia, the longest-running title in the fest.

French actor Jean Dujardin made himself heard among the jury with his role in Michel Hazanivicius? The Artist that earned him the prize for Best Actor. The Artist was originally set to screen Out of Competition, but was added to the race at the last-minute. Catherine Deneuve presented the award to Dujardin who received a standing ovation for his role in the silent, black and white film. ?I want to share this prize with Berenice Bejo,? Dujardin said of his leading lady on screen before adding: ?And thank you to my wife who I love? of his off-screen leading lady actress Alexandra Lamy.

The Camera d?Or for Best First Film went to Pablo Les Acacias that screened in the Critics Week sidebar.

The jury added a Footnote to the ceremony with Joseph Cedar?s Israeli title taking home the Best Screenwriting award.

French actress Melanie Laurent presided over the ceremony that aired live and unencrypted on French pay TV network Canal Plus.

The ceremony preceded the world premiere of Christophe Honore?s musical romp through time ?The Beloved? starring Catherine Deneuve, Chiara Mastroianni, Milos Forman, Louis Garrel and Ludivine Sagnier. VIP guests then headed to an official dinner at the Agora hosted by the fest followed by a soiree at the Majestic beach.

Full list of winners:

Palme d'Or: ''The Tree of Life'' (Terrence Malick, U.S.)

Grand Prix (tie): ''Once Upon a Time in Anatolia'' (Nuri Bilge Ceylan, Turkey) and ''The Kid With a Bike'' (Jean-Luc and Pierre Dardenne, France)

Director: Nicolas Winding Refn (''Drive,'' U.S.)

Jury prize: Polisse (Maiwenn, France)

Actor: Jean Dujardin (The Artist, France)

Actress: Kirsten Dunst (Melancholia, Denmark-Sweden-France-Germany)

Screenplay: Joseph Cedar (Footnote, Israel)

Camera d'Or: Las acacias (Pablo Giorgelli, Argentina-Spain)

Palme d'Or, short films: Cross (Maryna Vroda)

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/thr/news/~3/6T-v9nLonZo/cannes-winners-tree-life-takes-191021

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