The Greatest Showman #1365 - Slightly Unpopular

The film "Like Father, Like Son" from Japan won the Jury Prize. This highly praised work continues the legacy of director Hirokazu Koreeda at Cannes, steadily climbing in recognition. This marks Koreeda's second time ranking among the top three and receiving accolades as both a director and producer.

Best Actress: PastBest Screenplay: God DestinedJury Prize: Like Father, Like Son

It seemed as though the award ceremony had just begun, and before anyone could catch their breath, half of the awards had already been announced, each one finding its rightful recipient.

So far, there has been no tie for an award!

The idea of a "double egg yolk" – a term used to describe multiple awards going to a single film – was not welcomed. Winning an award is the ultimate recognition, but the prospect of two awards for one film often leaves a sense of disappointment. However, this year's situation was pushing other films into a corner. With four awards left and five competing films, the question became: who would become the "cannon fodder"?

The Lumière Hall exuded an air of calm, while the media was brimming with tension. The palpable anxiety gripped everyone in the room, and a reporter's heart raced with every passing second. Time seemed to tick forward, anticipation growing stronger with each moment.

Then, Steven Spielberg stood up to announce the next award: Best Actor.

Emily instinctively covered her mouth, but the exclamation still slipped through her fingers. The swirling feelings of anticipation and dread turned into a turbulent rush of emotions.

She wasn't alone in this. Other reporters at the media center shared the same sentiment.

The announcement of the Best Actor award now seemed pivotal. Would it have any bearing on the Palme d'Or? What did this imply for Drunken Country Ballads or Nebraska? Given that Adele's Life had missed out on Best Actress and there had been no double egg yolk, could Drunken Country Ballads now miss out too to stay in contention?

Questions like these filled their minds, but no answers could be formed in the short span of thirty seconds. They simply waited in silence, eyes fixed on Steven as he prepared to make his announcement.

"The winner of Best Actor at the 66th Cannes Film Festival is..." Steven opened the champagne-colored envelope, though, as a jury member, he already knew the answer. The formality of broadcasting required the announcement. With a sly smile, Steven paused for dramatic effect, enjoying the build-up before revealing the winner.

Finally, he smiled widely, the sparkle in his eyes evident behind his round glasses, and said, "Renly-Hall, Drunken Country Ballads."

"Ahhh!" Emily screamed, her hands flying into the air. She couldn't contain her excitement and started jumping, her joy bursting out from deep within her. Her eyes were wide, frantically scanning the room for others who shared in her excitement.

It wasn't just Emily. Everyone in the media center erupted in cheers. People exchanged glances, embraced, and celebrated the victory together. The sound of jubilant applause and cheers reverberated throughout the space, shaking the walls of the media center.

At that moment, no one could think about what this Best Actor win meant for the Palme d'Or race. All that mattered was this victory for Renly.

Renly was the best actor at Cannes!

His performance in Drunken Country Ballads was nothing short of mesmerizing. Powerful and aggressive yet delicate and profound, Renly's portrayal was both beautiful and deeply moving. His nuanced delivery, from his eyes to his movements, from his lines to his songs, brought the character to life in ways that transcended the narrative itself. Through his performance, Renly added depth and soul to the film, making it one of the most poetic and resonant works of the entire festival.

While other performances this year were excellent and worth discussing, none could compare to Renly's. His performance was unmatched.

Before the ceremony, people had debated whether Renly would win. The Cannes Film Festival is an independent entity, distinct from the Oscars or Berlin Film Festival, and operates with its own selection system. While age and experience are sometimes questioned in other awards seasons, Cannes values different criteria.

In Berlin last year, the youngest actor in history and the second youngest actor ever were both recognized. In Venice, the youngest actor ever, 17-year-old Xia Yu, won for Sunny Days, and in 1991, 4-year-old Victoire Silvesso made history as the youngest actress to win at Venice.

Cannes has its own history. The youngest winner was 14-year-old Yumi Liu for Nobody Knows. But none of this mattered tonight for Renly.

Someone once joked that Cannes only allowed one "double egg yolk" per festival, meaning only one film could win two major awards. This prevents any one film from sweeping the awards, keeping things competitive. As a result, Drunken Country Ballads and Adele's Life were both strong contenders for the Palme d'Or, but the regulations often resulted in one film winning the top prize, while another received the performance awards.

Tonight, Renly's Best Actor win had caused a ripple, shifting the focus away from Drunken Country Ballads and making Adele's Life a stronger contender for the Palme d'Or.

While some might consider Renly's win a small upset, it wasn't because he didn't deserve the award. The truth was, Drunken Country Ballads had earned recognition far beyond just Best Actor. But the jury, led by Steven Spielberg, didn't hesitate in their decision, ignoring Renly's youth and the fact that it was his first Cannes appearance. They awarded him the Best Actor trophy.

This win, irrespective of the Palme d'Or, was Renly's due recognition!

The media center was alive with elation, and the entire Cannes community had embraced Renly's victory. His rise in Europe was unstoppable, and his efforts and talent had earned him the love and admiration of his peers.

For the second consecutive year, Renly had captured the Best Actor title at one of the three major European film festivals.

In a span of just four years, actors like Sean Penn have completed a sweep of all three major European festivals. Now, it seemed Renly was on his way to achieving the same.

"Ahhh!" Emily yelled, her excitement contagious. She turned to find Mark, who was sobbing with joy, tightly gripping his fists and roaring with excitement, as if he were part of a ballad from the 1960s.

All eyes were now on Renly, who, dressed in a light gray suit, stepped onto the stage with poise.

Steven, beaming with pride, congratulated Renly as Ang Lee warmly greeted him, arms outstretched for a hug.

"If I invite you to star in my next film, you're not allowed to refuse," Ang Lee joked.

Renly smiled and shrugged, responding, "Is this a quid pro quo? I don't think it's a loss."

Their exchange, filled with playful humor, made the crowd laugh.

Then, Ang Lee handed Renly the trophy with great reverence, stepping back to let him take the stage. The audience stood in applause, offering their respect, as the entire Lumière Hall and media center celebrated Renly's conquest of Cannes.