Fjord wins Palme d'Or 2026

Cristian Mungiu’s “Fjord” won the Palme d’Or at the 79th Cannes Film Festival on Saturday, May 23, capping the festival’s main competition with a second top prize for the Romanian director. Cannes listed “Fjord” as the 2026 Palme d’Or winner on its official site after the closing ceremony in France. Trade outlet The Hollywood Reporter said the film stars Renate Reinsve and Sebastian Stan and described it as Mungiu’s English-language debut. Andreï Zvyagintsev’s “Minotaur” won the Grand Prix, the festival’s runner-up award. ### Which film actually won, and when was it announced? The Festival de Cannes posted its winners list on May 23 and identified “Fjord” as the Palme d’Or winner for 2026. The official Cannes site said the prize was presented during the closing ceremony of the 79th edition of the festival. The Hollywood Reporter reported on May 23 that Mungiu’s film had taken the top prize in Cannes. Its report placed the announcement at the Saturday ceremony and named Reinsve and Stan as the film’s lead stars. ### What is “Fjord” about, and who is in it? “Fjord” is a 146-minute competition film about a Romanian-Norwegian couple who resettle in a village near a fjord and face accusations of child abuse after bruises are seen on their daughter, according to the official Cannes film page. (festival-cannes.com) Cannes listed the production countries as Romania, France, Norway, Sweden and Denmark. Sebastian Stan and Renate Reinsve are listed in the Cannes credits for the film, with Stan playing Mihai and Reinsve playing Lisbet. (hollywoodreporter.com) The Hollywood Reporter said the pair star as Romanian religious parents who relocate to a small Norwegian village. ### Why is this a notable Cannes result for Cristian Mungiu? The Hollywood Reporter said the prize gives Mungiu a second Palme d’Or after his 2007 win for “4 Months, 3 Weeks and 2 Days.” Cannes also described “Fjord” in a festival feature as Mungiu’s first foreign-language film set against Norwegian landscapes. (festival-cannes.com) Park Chan-wook, the 2026 competition jury president, appeared in Cannes’ post-ceremony materials alongside the rest of the jury. The official site said the winners spoke to the international press shortly after receiving their awards. ### Who else won at the ceremony? Andreï Zvyagintsev’s “Minotaur” took the Grand Prix, according to both Cannes and The Hollywood Reporter. Cannes’ winners listing also showed Valeska Grisebach’s “Das geträumte Abenteuer” winning the Jury Prize. (hollywoodreporter.com) Best actress went jointly to Virginie Efira and Tao Okamoto for “All of a Sudden,” while Emmanuel Macchia and Valentin Campagne shared best actor for Lukas Dhont’s “Coward,” Cannes said. (festival-cannes.com) The Hollywood Reporter also reported shared directing honors for Javier Calvo and Javier Ambrossi on “La Bola Negra” and Paweł Pawlikowski on “Fatherland.” ### What comes next for “Fjord” after Cannes? (festival-cannes.com) Neon acquired “Fjord” for domestic release before this year’s festival, The Hollywood Reporter reported, extending the distributor’s run with recent Palme d’Or winners in the United States. Cannes has also published the film’s official page, credits and synopsis as part of its 2026 selection archive. (festival-cannes.com) The next immediate public step is the winners’ press cycle tied to the May 23 ceremony, with Cannes hosting post-award appearances by Park Chan-wook and the recipients. The festival’s official winners list and “Fjord” film page remain the primary public records of the result. (festival-cannes.com) (hollywoodreporter.com)