The Curtain Closes on Cannes Film Festival 2015
By: Hope Wilkos, Writer
There is so much to love about the annual Cannes Film Festival which took place this year from May 13, 2015 through May 24, 2015. The unforgettable films, the gorgeous gowns seen enviously on the Red Carpet, the setting amongst a sparkling sea and wind-blown palms and party after party celebrating and socializing over film successes, these are the dreams that Cannes Film Festival is made up of.
Source: Getty / Ian Gavan
Every star seemed to make their own statement as the photos were continuously splashed across websites all over the world. Huge yachts in the harbor that housed celebrities for champagne sunsets and mimosa sunrises, were some of the one-of-a-kind experiences that characterized the 68th annual Cannes Film Festival in the land of France.
Jane Fonda – Courtesy of Getty Images/Clemens Bilan
Marion Cotillard, Source: Getty / Pascal Le Segretain
Jourdan Dunn, Source: Getty/Dominique Charriau
As the film festival itself begins to wind down, one of the many highlights that has always attracted a very famous and exclusive crowd is the amfAR Gala. Not to be under shadowed behind the glitz and glamour of the whole event is the obvious glory of such a powerful organization which has worked diligently to raise funding to end AIDS by long and extensive research. In the course of its 25-year history, amfAR has invested more than $366 million in its programs, spawning numerous significant advances in HIV prevention, treatment and care. These accomplishments have helped extend, improve, and save the lives of countless people around the world living with HIV/AIDS or vulnerable to HIV infection.
The gala itself was held on May 21, 2015. This marked the 22nd Cinema Against AIDS Gala and was held at the Hotel du Cap-Eden-Roc. Designers created stunning gowns that really wowed envious onlookers. Gigi Hadid wore Tom Ford, Kendall Jenner wore Calvin Klein and Iman wore a couture gown by Zuhair Murad.
The gala was presented by Bold Films and Harry Winston, with jewels to turn every woman into a princess. This is only one of the various amfAR events that takes place over the course of the year. But it is also instrumental in playing a critical role in raising much-needed funding for amfAR’s many programs building AIDS awareness. The celebrity auction in Antibes raised over $19.1 million going to support the cause. Leonardo DiCaprio donated one of his works of art direct from his personal collection which brought in $1 million euros.
Karlie Kloss, Source: Thibault Camus/AP
Performers topping the entertainment included Mary J. Blige and Imagine Dragons. A fashion show was also held with jaw-dropping creations by Louis Vuitton, Dior, Chanel, Givenchy and Armani.
Petra Nemcova, Source: Getty/Andreas Rentz
Paris Hilton, Source: Getty/Andreas Rentz
This year’s film festival jury included Sienna Miller, Xavier Dolan, Rossy de Palma, Joel Coen, Ethan Coen, Rokia Traore, Sophie Marceau, Guillermo del Toro and Jake Gyllenhaal. For those who follow the films of Cannes Film Festival, here is a list of the top films for 2015.
Palme d’Or: “Dheepan”
(French director Jacques Audiard)
A thriller spotlighting the plight of Sri Lankan refugees, including a traumatised former insurgent, as they try to build new lives in France.
Grand Prize: “Son of Saul”
(Hungarian director Laszlo Nemes)
The 38-year-old Nemes’s first feature, this movie was widely acclaimed for taking audiences into a Nazi concentration camp and showing the Holocaust in a different way.
Jury Prize: “The Lobster”
(Greek director Yorgos Lanthimos)
Starring a paunchy, deadpan Colin Farrell, “The Lobster” is a weird but well-received movie about single people who are transformed into animals if they don’t find a mate.
Best actor: Vincent Lindon
(“The Measure of a Man”)
Talented, gruff French character actor Lindon scooped the prize for his performance as a laid-off factory worker desperately searching for a job.
Best actress: Rooney Mara, Emmanuelle Bercot
(“Carol”, “Mon Roi”)
Mara won the award for her part in lesbian love affair “Carol” in which she co-starred with Cate Blanchett, while France’s Emmanuelle Bercot was also awarded for her performance as a woman looking back on a destructive relationship with a deceitful but charming boyfriend.
Best director: Hou Hsiao-hsien
(“The Assassin”)
A leading figure in Taiwan’s “New Wave” cinema, Hou won for his slow-burning minimalist drama set in ninth-century China featuring Asian megastar Shu Qi as a female assassin who, after failing in one mission, is sent back to her home province to kill its governor, who is also the man she loves.
Best screenplay: Chronic
(Michel Franco)
Mexican writer-director Franco won for his bleak film about an end-of-life nurse played by Tim Roth who grows too close to some of his patients and faces difficult moral choices about assisted suicide.
This is how film history is made. From here, there is no telling where the next stop may be but there is a good chance that many will make it to the very top in the film industry.
Courtesy of Getty Images
