Luxembourg co-production "All We Imagine as Light" wins Grand-Prix at Cannes

One of the standout favorites of this edition of the Cannes Film Festival was the feature film 'All We Imagine as Light' by Indian director Payal Kapadia, which was produced in collaboration with the Luxembourg production company Les Films Fauves and financially supported by the Luxembourgish National Fund for Audiovisual Production Support (Film Fund).

Earning glowing praise from audiences and the jury alike, the film took home the "Grand Prix" award.

Schreiwes vu Films Fauves

Set in Mumbai, the film follows the lives of Nurse Prabha whose life takes a troubling turn when she receives an unexpected gift from her estranged husband and her younger roommate, Anu, who tries in vain to find a spot in the city to be intimate with her boyfriend. One day the two women decide to take a trip to a beach town, which allows them to find a space for all their desires to manifest.

22 films were being considered for the top prize

Ultimately, the film "Anora" by Sean Baker won the prestigious Palme d'or, a dramedy that tells the story of a New York stripper who gets more than she bargained for when she marries the son of a Russian oligarch.

Another favourite of the night was "The Seed of the Sacred Fig" by director Mohammed Rassulof who received the Jury prize this year. In his movie, Rassulof documents the impact of the Mahsa Amini protests in Iran on his family. Rassulof himself has been arrested several times due to the nature and content of his films being in conflict with the Iranian Government and has been living in exile in Germany after he was sentenced in May 2024 to 8 years in prison, whipping, and a fine.

Other movies causing a buzz

The musical crime comedy 'Emilia Pérez' by Jacques Audiard features a stellar cast including pop star Selena Gomez and Avatar's Zoe Saldana. It follows a story about a Mexican mafia boss who wants to evade the authorities while affirming her gender through sex reassignment surgery. With plenty of singing and dancing, Audiard combines elements of a musical, a drama, and a noir thriller in his film.

Also earning rave reviews is 'The Substance' by Coralie Fargeat. The body horror film starring Demi Moore and Margaret Qualley explores the lengths people go to in the name of beauty and youth. It revolves around former TV icon Elizabeth Sparkle (Demi Moore), who decides to use a mysterious substance bought on the black market to create a younger version of herself.

Winners of Cannes

• Palme d'or: "Anora" - Sean Baker
• Grand Prix:  "All we imagine as light" - Payal Kapadia
• Best Director: "Grand Tour" - Miguel Gomes
• Jury prize: "Emilia Perez" - Jacques Audiard
• Special prize: "Les graines du figuier sauvage" - Mohammad Rasoulof
• Best Screenplay: "The Substance" - Coralie Fargeat
• Best Actress: The ensemble of "Emilia Perez" Karla Sofía Gascón, Zoe Saldaña, Selena Gomez and Adriana Paz - "Emilia Perez" by Jacques Audiard
• Best Actor: Jesse Plemons - "Kinds of Kindness" by Yorgos Lanthimos
• Caméra d'or: "Armand" - Halfdan Ullmann Tondel
• Palme d'or special mention: "The man who could not remain silent" - Nebojsa Slijepcevic
• Honorary Palme d'or: George Lucas

In a statement by the government's Film Fund, the Minister of Culture, Eric Thill, who attended the Cannes Film Festival last weekend, expressed his delight at this recognition for the two producers from Les Films Fauves: "After already being in competition at Cannes last year, the work of Gilles Chanial and Govinda Van Maele is now receiving all the success it deserves. An extraordinary achievement that demonstrates the diversity and quality of our audiovisual sector in Luxembourg. Congratulations!"

Prime Minister Luc Frieden also expressed satisfaction with this recognition, stating: "I wholeheartedly congratulate the producers. This award is also a validation for the entire Luxembourgish audiovisual sector, whose creative work has been internationally recognized for years."

Since 1989, 46 films co-produced with Luxembourg have been selected at Cannes, and the country has a total of 13 awards, including this grand prize.