Romanian Film About Abortion Wins Palme d'Or

'Uncle Boonmee Who Can Recall His Past Lives' captures Palme d'Or

(NEWSER) - In a major upset, the Thai film Uncle Boonmee Who Can Recall His Past Lives has won the top honor at Cannes, according to the Hollywood Reporter . "I'd like to send a message home," director Apichatpong Weerasethakul said in accepting the Palme d'Or. "This prize is for you." Mike Leigh's Another Year had been considered a favorite for the top award, but English-language films failed to capture any major prizes, Entertainment Weekly notes . More»

(NEWSER) - The Cannes Film Festival unveiled this year’s roster today, and it’s packed with regulars like Ang Lee, Pedro Almodovar, and Terry Gilliam, according to the Hollywood Reporter. Among the most buzzed-about selections is Inglourious Basterds, Quentin Tarantino’s violent World War II pic. Anticipation is also high for The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus; Heath Ledger’s last film, directed by Gilliam, will screen out of competition. More»

Del Toro grabs Bests Actor for Che

(NEWSER) - Laurent Cantet's The Class walked away with Cannes' prestigious Palm D'Or today, the final day of competition, reports the Hollywood Reporter. It was the first time a French film had claimed the prize since 1987. Cannes Jury President Sean Penn followed the announcement with a list of largely sleeper candidates. Among them: More»

Pioneering Frenchman directed 50+ films

(NEWSER) - Eric Rohmer, a leading light of the French New Wave and a prolific filmmaker for over 4 decades, died today in Paris. He was 89. Overshadowed early in his career by Jean-Luc Godard and François Truffaut, Rohmer made his mark with his "Six Moral Tales," released from 1963 through 1972. They include My Night at Maud's, for which he received an Oscar nomination, and Claire's Knee. More»

White Ribbon 'will be discussed for decades to come'

(NEWSER) - Even in a vintage year for Cannes, Michael Haneke's new film The White Ribbon stood head and shoulders above the competition, writes Xan Brooks of the Guardian. The Austrian director has time and again missed out on the festival's top prize, but his "icy black-and-white" pastoral set in pre-WWI Germany wasn't just the best movie on the Croisette; it's "the finest film from a director who has served his time and paid his dues," notes Brooks. More»