'Anatomy Of A Fall' Wins Cannes Palme d'Or; 3rd Female Director To Receive Top Honor

Justine Triet's film "Anatomy of a Fall" emerged victorious at the 76th Cannes Film Festival, winning the prestigious Palme d'Or during the Saturday ceremony.

The French courtroom drama captivated audiences with its intricate plot, centering around a marriage under trial.

This marks the third time that a female director has received the Palme d'Or, and notably, one of the previous winners, Julia Ducournau, was part of this year's jury.

Jonathan Glazer's "The Zone of Interest," a haunting adaptation of Martin Amis' work set next to Auschwitz, claimed the festival's second prize, the Grand Prix. Sandra Hüller, who also starred in "Anatomy of a Fall," played a role in Glazer's film as well.

The awards were determined by a jury led by Ruben Östlund, a Swedish director and two-time Palme d'Or recipient, who won the prize last year for "Triangle of Sadness."

The ceremony took place prior to the festival's closing night, which featured the Pixar animation "Elemental."

Neon, the indie distributor, achieves an impressive feat with their fourth consecutive Palme win for "Anatomy of a Fall."

After acquiring the film following its premiere at Cannes, Neon has also supported other notable films like "Triangle of Sadness," Ducournau's "Titane," and Bong Joon Ho's "Parasite," which went on to win Best Picture at the Academy Awards.

During the award presentation, Jane Fonda, who herself handed the Palme to Triet, reflected on her experience attending Cannes in 1963 when there were no female filmmakers in competition.

This year, a record seven out of the 21 films in competition at Cannes were directed by women, AP News reported.

"The protests were denied and repressed in a shocking way," said Triet, who linked that governmental influence to that in cinema. "The merchandizing of culture, defended by a liberal government, is breaking the French cultural exception."

Yuji Sakamoto was awarded the Best Screenplay prize for "Monster."

In addition to its screenplay win, "Monster" also received the Queer Palm, an esteemed recognition given by journalists to the festival's most impactful LGBTQ-themed film.

The presence of renowned filmmaker Quentin Tarantino, winner of Cannes' top award for "Pulp Fiction," graced the ceremony as he presented a tribute to filmmaker Roger Corman.

The Un Certain Regard section of the festival presented its awards on Friday, with Molly Manning Walker's debut feature, "How to Have Sex," receiving the top prize.

The Saturday ceremony marked the conclusion of a Cannes edition filled with spectacle, notable stars, and controversies.

Some of the most highly anticipated premieres occurred outside the competition section. Martin Scorsese unveiled his ambitious crime epic "Killers of the Flower Moon," featuring Leonardo DiCaprio and Lily Gladstone.

Harrison Ford's farewell as Indiana Jones, titled "Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny," was celebrated with a tribute. Wes Anderson showcased his film "Asteroid City."

Controversy sparked at the festival's opening, where the period drama "Jeanne du Barry," featuring Johnny Depp as Louis XV, was screened as the opening night film.

Depp's appearance at the premiere marked his most high-profile event since the conclusion of his highly publicized trial with ex-wife Amber Heard last year.