Akinola Davis Jr.’s debut feature, “My Father’s Shadow,” received a Special Mention for the Caméra d’Or at the 78th Cannes Film Festival, which concluded on May 24. The recognition, reserved for outstanding first features, also marked a historic milestone as the first Nigerian film to premiere at the festival.
The main Caméra d’Or award went to Hassan Hadi’s “The President’s Cake,” while Bi Gan received a special prize for “Resurrection.”
The Palme d’Or was awarded to Iranian filmmaker Jafar Panahi for “It Was Just an Accident,” distributed by Neon Pictures, which continued its winning streak after last year’s success with “Anora.”
The Grand Prix went to Joachim Trier’s “Sentimental Value,” which received a 19-minute standing ovation—one of the longest in recent Cannes history. The Jury Prize was shared by “Sound of Falling” by Mascha Schilinski and “Sirat” by Oliver Laxe.
Other top winners included Kleber Mendonça Filho (Best Director) and Wagner Moura (Best Actor) for “The Secret Agent,” while Nadia Melliti won Best Actress for “The Little Sister.” The Dardenne brothers, Jean-Pierre and Luc, received the Best Screenplay award for “Young Mothers.”
In the short film category, Tawfeek Barhom won the Palme d’Or for “I’m Glad You’re Dead Now.” The Critics’ Week Grand Prix went to Ratchapoom Boonbunchachoke’s “A Useful Ghost,” with Deni Oumar Pitsaev’s “Imago” taking the Jury Prize. Pauline Loques was named Rising Star for her role in “Nino.”
Additional awards included Michel van der Aa’s “From Dust” in the immersive competition and Randa Maroufi’s “L’mina” in the short film section. Partner awards went to Shih-Ching Tsou’s “Left-Handed Girl” and the writing duo Guillermo Galoe and Victor Alons-Berbel for “Sleepless City.”
This year’s festival ran from May 13–24, attracting international stars such as Viola Davis, Rihanna, A$AP Rocky, Paul Mescal, Scarlett Johansson, Nicole Kidman, Taraji P. Henson, and Robert Pattinson. Robert De Niro and Denzel Washington were each honored with an Honorary Palme d’Or.
The main jury was led by Juliette Binoche and included Halle Berry, Hong Sang-soo, Jeremy Strong, among others. The opening night featured Amélie Bonnin’s comedy “Leave One Day,” with Laurent Lafitte hosting.
Although “My Father’s Shadow” did not win the top prize, its recognition in the Un Certain Regard section and its special mention underscore its critical success. The film will be distributed by Mubi in the US, UK, Canada, Turkey, and Ireland.