In Cannes, Haneke Wins Palme d’Or for “White Ribbon”

Michael Haneke shows off the Palme d'Or in Cannes Sunday evening. Photo by Eugene Hernandez

Michael Haneke’s “The White Ribbon” (Das Weisse Band) won the Palme d’Or tonight as the Cannes Film Festival came to a close. The festival’s coveted top award was presented by jury president Isabelle Huppert, star of his 2001 film “The Piano Teacher,” which won three awards at the Cannes Film Festival eight years ago. Jacques Audiard’s “A Prophet” won the Grand Prix runner-up prize.

“Kinatay” director Brillante Mendoza won the jury’s Best Director prize. Closing the 62nd Festival de Cannes tonight in France is Jan Kounen’s “Coco Chanel & Igor Stravinsky.”

Austrian-born director Haneke is a nine-time veteran of Cannes (“Ribbon” being his sixth film in competition). His somber black and white story is set in a pre-war German village. Eric Kohn called the film “Bergmanesque” in his review for indieWIRE earlier in the fest. Told through the voice of the town’s teacher, it is a deliberate study of the people in the village and their families and how they navitage the mystery surrounding accidents and strange occurences that are happening around the children in the village. “It’s about the roots of evil,” Haneke explained here in Cannes a few days ago about the film. “I wanted to present a group of children on whom absolute values are being imposed.”

Jacques Audiard’s “A Prophet” meanwhile has already been compared to Scorsese’s nearly twenty year old “Goodfellas” many times here in France, for its engaging examination of a seedy, gangster-driven underworld that mostly takes place in a French prison. Actor Tahar Rahim’s plays “Malik,” who is not unlike Ray Liotta’s “Henry Hill.” An innocent who quickly comes of age in the mob, he can’t evade the inner demons he’s stirring with his shady activity. The young Arab is schooled in the ways of the mafia by a Corsican godfather, leading to an inevitable conflict. “[He’s] naive in a way,” Audiard explained last week in Cannes. “Almost a virgin, who utlimately builds up his identity within his commmunity. He’s got no background, he is homeless…”

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“At two and half hours in length, ‘A Prophet’ doesn’t feel slow,” quipped Anthony Kaufman his review for indieWIRE earlier in the fest. “What audiences will most remember about ‘A Prophet’ is not Malik’s troubled relationship with this father figure so much as the sight of a man come of age…” Both films will be released by Sony Pictures Classics. Quotes, buzz and insights from on stage and backstage on awards night are also available here at indieWIRE. [The complete list of winners, including prizes presented in the Un Certain Regard, International Critics’ Week and Directors’ Fortnight sections, is included on the next page.] Loading ... Which Cannes ‘09 winner are you most looking forward to seeing? "Antichrist" "A Prophet" "Fish Tank" "Inglourious Basterds" "Kinatay" "Samson and Delilah" "Spring Fever" "Thirst" "The White Ribbon" "Wild Grass" Read & React: In Cannes, Haneke Wins Palme d’Or for “White Ribbon” Page 1 of 2 Next Login to recommend this article » posted on May 24, 2009 Films to Snag Login to Leave a Comment »