Cristian Mungiu's 'Fjord' wins Palme d'Or

Cristian Mungiu took the Palme d’Or for “Fjord” at the 79th Cannes Film Festival on Saturday, returning the Romanian director to the top of Cannes nearly two decades after his first win for “4 Months, 3 Weeks and 2 Days.” Festival organizers published the winners list on May 23, naming “Fjord” the top prize winner from the 22-film main competition. NBC News and the Associated Press described “Fjord” as a Norway-set drama about political polarization starring Sebastian Stan and Renate Reinsve. Cannes’ own film page says the story follows a devout Romanian-Norwegian couple who move to a village at the end of a fjord and become embroiled in a conflict after authorities scrutinize their treatment of their children. (festival-cannes.com) ### Why is this a notable Cannes result for Mungiu? Cristian Mungiu is now a two-time Palme d’Or winner, according to Cannes and festival coverage, after first winning in 2007 for “4 Months, 3 Weeks and 2 Days.” RogerEbert.com and the official Cannes festival site both identified “Fjord” as his second Palme winner. The Cannes festival site also described “Fjord” as Mungiu’s first foreign-language film. (nbcnews.com) That detail made this year’s competition return notable for a director long associated with Romanian cinema and with earlier Cannes recognition. ### What kind of film is “Fjord”? “Fjord” is set in Norway and centers on a Romanian family, according to Cannes, NBC News and other festival coverage. (rogerebert.com) The official Cannes synopsis says the Gheorghiu family settles in a fjord-side village, where differences in child-rearing and religion trigger intervention by the school system and child services. CNBC, citing festival reporting, said Mungiu described the film as an account of “left-wing fundamentalism.” The Associated Press and NBC framed it more broadly as a drama about political polarization. (festival-cannes.com) ### Who else was involved in the winning film? Sebastian Stan and Renate Reinsve were identified by NBC News and other coverage as the film’s lead actors. Cannes materials list the production as an international co-production involving companies from Romania, France, Norway, Denmark, Finland and Sweden. (festival-cannes.com) Neon was named by NBC News and Deadline as the U.S. distributor tied to the film’s Cannes victory. (cnbc.com) Deadline reported that the win extended Neon’s run of Palme d’Or acquisitions to seven straight years. ### What did the Cannes jury do beyond the top prize? Park Chan-wook chaired the main competition jury, Cannes said in its official winners release. Franceinfo reported that the jury honored eight films from the 22-title competition lineup, with several prizes shared. (nbcnews.com) Andreï Zviaguintsev’s “Minotaure” won the Grand Prix, while Pawel Pawlikowski took best director for “Fatherland,” according to the official Cannes list. (nbcnews.com) The same release said Javier Calvo and Javier Ambrossi shared the directing prize for “La Bola Negra,” and Emmanuel Marre won screenplay for “Notre Salut.” ### What happens next for “Fjord”? (festival-cannes.com) Cannes has already published “Fjord” in its official selection archive and on its standalone film page, where the cast, synopsis and sales contacts are listed. Neon and international sales company Goodfellas are among the named companies attached to the film in festival materials. AlloCiné reported that release-date tracking for major Cannes winners, including “Fjord,” is now underway after the awards ceremony. (festival-cannes.com) Any next step for general audiences will likely come through distributor release announcements rather than from the festival itself. (festival-cannes.com)