2023 USC Cannes Classic Jury Award Winners

 It may be tempting to denounce film festivals such as Cannes as displays of self-aggrandizement for the ultra-wealthy. Yet, standing in a packed crowd in the rain for four hours to watch the new short film from Spanish director Pedro Almodóvar, a thought occurred to me: this place is one of the last bastions of true passion for a medium fighting tooth and nail to save itself. Cinema is my life’s biggest passion, and the opportunity to experience the fervor around it in a place that truly loves and reveres it inspired a profound hope that a new generation can save the flailing modern industry and return the form to the pinnacle of its century-long parade of glory.

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The USC Cannes Classics team had an incredible time experiencing food, culture and of course, cinema, in the South of France. Below you will find a list of awards as delegated by all nine members of our Jury:

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Palme D’Or: May December by Todd Haynes

Todd Haynes’ tongue-in-cheek melodrama depicts a fictionalized version of the Mary Kay Letourneau tabloid scandal that rocked the 90s. The Cannes Classic Jury awarded the film our top prize for its devilishly-witty high camp, ingenious performances and nuanced exploration of the thin line between person and persona. Starring Natalie Portman and Julianne Moore, the film is set to debut on Netflix this fall.

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Grand Prix (2nd): The Zone of Interest by Johnathan Glazer

I, the writer, will personally defend this film’s thesis as the most thoroughly realized piece of mainstream-arthouse cinema since Terrence Mallick’s The Tree of Life. In a subject oversaturated with potentially exploitative depictions, Jonathan Glazer has found a unique manner in which to depict the endless atrocities that occurred in mid-century Europe. A must-watch when A24 releases it in theaters this fall.

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Best Actress: Lea Drucker in L’Ete Dernier

Lea Drucker’s range is on full display in this twisted love story from one of France’s most provocative auteurs. The actress’s ability to flip from sensual to vile on a dime is sure to draw a conflicting sense of comfort and disgust from audiences. The US distribution rights for L’Ete Dernier (Last Summer) were recently purchased by Sideshow and Janus Films, with a release date yet to be announced.

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Best Actor: Koji Yakusho in Perfect Days

It is easy, well, relatively easy, to tap into an audience’s emotion with a character who screams and cries; Koji Yakusho’s brilliant turn does anything but that. His calm demeanor and prevailing optimism delighted our jury and the official Festival Jury alike, with both entities awarding him Best Actor for the festival. Neon is set to distribute Wim Wenders’ Perfect Days in the coming months.

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Best Director: Trần Anh Hùng for The Pot-Au-Feu

Much hoopla is made of standing ovations at Cannes. While on the outside they may seem to be empty, self-congratulatory displays, in reality they are conjured out of sheer appreciation for the incredible amount of effort it takes for a band of people to make a film. Far and away the most genuine and enthusiastic applause of the festival came at the premiere of Trần Anh Hùng’s The Pot-Au-Feu, a sweeping romance whose director’s patience and passion reflect his central characters’ undying love for food and each other. The only thing more wholesome than the content of the film was the beaming smile of Trần Anh Hùng as thunderous applause rained down on him and his team post-screening. The Pot-Au-Feu will receive North American distribution from IFC films.

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Jury Prize (4th): Monster by Hirokazu Kore-eda 

Kore-eda is no stranger to success in Cannes, having won the Palme back in 2018 for his heartwarming cinematic slice of life, Shoplifters. Back on the Croisette for the second time since said victory, Kore-eda returns with a deeply empathetic, Rashomon-inspired story of a mother, a teacher and a young boy in contemporary Japan. Monster’s US distribution will be handled by Well Go USA.

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Best Screenplay: About Dry Grasses by Nuri Bilge Ceylan

Another auteur with a decorated history of Cannes success, Nuri Bilge Ceylan this time wins an award from our Jury on the strength of his screenwriting. In an age dominated by hyper-stimulation functioning as “entertainment”, Ceylan sticks to his guns with this three hour character study about an arrogant school teacher in rural Turkey. If ever a modern film truly earned a mammoth run time, it’s this. 

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Camera D’or: How to Have Sex by Molly Manning Walker

Previously known for her cinematography work at other formidable festivals, Manning Walker bursts onto the scene here with a cautionary tale of tarnished livelihood. The film took home the Grand Prize in the Un Certain Regard section of the Festival. Our Jury thought similarly highly of it, awarding it the Camera D’Or for best first feature. Mubi acquired the film’s distribution rights prior to its festival debut.

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Palme D’og: Snoop from Anatomy of a Fall

Jokes aside, this might be the greatest dog performance in the history of cinema. HOW did they get him to do THAT? Snoop is a beastly beast and deserves unlimited treats and scratches for his unanimously recognized best canine performance at the festival. 

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Between naming a pivotal character Snoop Dog and needle dropping 50 Cent’s P.I.M.P, it’s clear French filmmaker Justine Triet respects early 2000s hip hop as much as the Festival Jury (who awarded her the Palme) respects her. Anatomy of a Fall will be released this fall by Neon

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Snooze D’or: Firebrand by Karim Aïnouz

After a promising Cannes debut in 2019 with Invisible Life, Karim Aïnouz takes a few steps back with Firebrand despite large upgrades in budget and on-screen talent. Serviceable outputs from the films cast did not help as this jury’s eyes hung heavy throughout multiple, separate screenings of the film. Jude Law’s gigantic, nude butt was said by one waking jury member to be “the most terrifying jump scare of all time”.