My Top 5 Palm d'Or Winners
Seeing as the Cannes Film Festival is taking place right now, I thought I would give a rundown of my favourite films that have won the prestigious Palm d'Or award. For anyone who doesn't know the Palm d'Or is, it is the highest prize awarded at the film festival, and is given to those films that have impressed the jury above and beyond all of the other entries. I recommend you watch as many of the winners as you can, but for now here's my top 5.
#5 The White Ribbon - 2009
You might be inclined to think that this film is one of the older winners of the prize, but this masterpiece actually won the Palm d'Or in 2009. The film is directed by Micheal Haneke, who also directed last years winner Amour, and who also directed Funny Games and the 2008 remake the year before. While The White Ribbon might look like a completely different kettle of fish than Funny Games, it is actually quite a similar piece. The narrative concerns a small rural village set in the years just before World War 1, strange things begin happening, events which in today's world may not seem like anything to worry about, but to the villagers of this idyllic country village seem barbaric. Events like crops being destroyed, a window being opened next to a newborn baby and tripping a horse with a wire. The story escalates into a mystery or 'whodunnit' style of film, with the children of the village and the elders at war over the culprit. The cinematography of the film is simply astounding, using a subdued black and white throughout the film, and giving the audience some breathtaking camera shots and visuals. The performances are also all brilliant, starting quiet and calm before quickly ascending into drama and emotion, making the film a joy to watch. Definitely check this one out.
#4 4 Months, 3 Weeks and 2 Days - 2007
This harrowing Romanian piece deals with the controversial subject of backstreet illegal abortions in 1980's metropolitan Romania. It shares similarities with films like Vera Drake, albeit this time concentrating on the victims of illegal abortion and not the perpetrators. The narrative concerns two students, one of whom is pregnant and decides she wants an abortion. The film essentially plays out in one day, the day of the abortion, and creates a foreboding atmosphere of tension, fear and unease in a very disturbing way. The film looks beautiful despite the dark subject matter, and all 3 of the main performances are magnificently acted, making me genuinely believe in their story. This isn't a film to watch with your partner or parents, but if you're prepared for hard viewing, it delivers.
#3 The Pianist - 2002
The pianist is probably one of the more highly recognisable Palm d'Or winners, gaining significant international acclaim and going onto win Oscars and BAFTA's. It has now become a modern classic in World War 2 films, specifically Holocaust films, and is a film that I urge you to watch. The Roman Polanski directed piece follows the life of a Jewish man as he witnesses first hand the tragedy of the Holocaust, starting in 1939 and ending after the 1944 Warsaw uprising. The film begins as a horrifying and disturbingly real portrayal of the creation of the Ghetto, the removal of the Jews into the concentration camps, and finally the riots and uprising that helped end the war. By the end of it you will be broken, disturbed, angry and relieved, the piece really plays with the emotions of it's viewers. The set design, cinematography, music and performances are all world class, once again proving that Polanski is a force to be reckoned with in terms of serious film making, with considerable praise given to Aidren Brody who gives his career best as the survivor of the experience.
#2 Pulp Fiction - 1994
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This iconic cult masterpiece had to be included on my list, its one of my all time favourite films and in my opinion deserves more recognition than it gets. We all know that certain critics can be quick to dismiss films like Pulp Fiction, American films that are perhaps less 'arty' than some of the other entries Cannes is used to, but to do that to Pulp Fiction would be a real shame. Tarrantino is very hit and miss with me, some of his films I love, Kill Bill for example, while others I hate, Reservoir Dogs springs to mind, so upon seeing this for the first time I was apprehensive considering the hype it has received. I wasn't disappointed, the film is a masterclass in exploitative and violent, yet hilarious and clever film making, and in my opinion pushed the boundaries for what cinema can do. The narrative is a combination of 4 different narratives, all covering similar themes and subject matter, revenge, violence, and the American dream. They are all equally brilliant and interlock perfectly by the end, making what at first is a confusing puzzle into a coherent and thematically interlocked plot. I cant say much more about this film without running into the things that everyone likes to say about it, just know that It is an absolute classic and must watch.
#1 The Tree Of Life - 2011
I have a feeling this one is going to cause some controversy being at #1. The film is not perfect, and yes it is a bit pretentious, but I personally think it deserves a lot more credit than it receives. The film got praise by many critics, but a significant number thought otherwise, giving it a mixed consensus upon theatrical release. I have talked about the film before in one of the Indie Roundup pieces written in March, but I simply cannot give this Terrence Malick masterpiece enough praise. As mentioned before, it is a poetic piece, a film that requires the viewer to read it from a distance, to not worry themselves with plot and character development but instead simply watch and observe. Its a film with little narrative, no real sense of time or place, and a film that thematically throws a lot of ideas at you. The themes of faith and the meaning of life itself can seem a touch preachy and naive at times, but in the right mindset they can really open your eyes and make you think about some deep ideas. The film is mind blowingly beautiful, with Malick choosing to use a graceful swooping style of shooting, making the piece look more like a dance than a film. I highly recommend this film to anyone wanting to delve into a sea of ideas and themes surrounding life itself, and for anyone who has the mindset to take themselves out of the film and look at it subjectively. The Tree of Life is simply a beautiful experience.
That concludes the list, there are loads of other amazing films I could have included; Dancer in the Dark, Farewell My Concubine and Amour to name a few. I hope you enjoyed reading my thoughts and feel free to leave your own opinions in the comments below or send me a tweet @karlrichings!
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