multilingual-drama-‘fjord’-wins-palme-d’or-at-cannes-film-festival

The 79th Cannes Film Festival came to a close on Saturday when the Palme d’Or was awarded to “Fjord,” the Romanian filmmaker Cristian Mungiu’s multilingual drama starring Sebastian Stan and Renate Reinsve as a devout Christian couple who are accused of physically abusing their children.

Speaking from the stage, and fluidly switching from English to French, Mungiu said he believed it was important for cinema to address “relevant” things, noting that today’s society “is split, it’s divided, it’s radicalized.” In “Fjord,” once child protection services opens an inquiry, an ostensible family matter becomes headline news and, in turn, a proxy war between religious conservatism and social liberalism.

The award is Mungiu’s second Palme. He also won it in 2007 for “4 Months, 3 Weeks and 2 Days.”

This year’s festival was comparatively muted, particularly in light of last year’s strong lineup. The absence of the major American studios was a contributing factor, as was the lack of globally recognizable stars on the red carpet.

The absence of a critical favorite, especially in the high-profile main competition where films vie for the Palme, also added to the doldrums. As is always the case at Cannes, there was plenty to like and admire, but “love” was not heard all that often.