The Greatest Showman #1368 - Ended Successfully

The Jury Prize was finally awarded to "Drunken Country Ballad"!

Just now, Renly thanked the Coen brothers in their acceptance speech for Best Actor. Now, the Coen brothers are thanking Renly in theirs.

This is more than a gift exchange; it's a gesture of camaraderie. Yet, Ethan still retained the humor characteristic of their films, winking at Renly below the stage and saying with a wry tone, "Hey, we're even."

In an instant, the Lumière Hall erupted in laughter. The tense atmosphere surrounding the Palme d'Or began to ease, albeit slightly.

Now, all the awards have been handed out, and only the Palme d'Or remains. Among the crew members present tonight, three have yet to receive awards. This is a very unique situation, but not entirely unheard of at the Cannes Film Festival.

For example, two works could tie for the Palme d'Or, a scenario that last occurred 16 years ago. Another possibility is that one work could receive a Special Jury Award, which could be seen as a commemorative honor, a lifetime achievement award, or a tribute to a particular work, director, actor, or script.

In other words, the jury has plenty of options available, should they choose to exercise them.

But, based on the current atmosphere, the most likely outcome is this: There won't be a tie for the Palme d'Or. Instead, "Adele's Life" is poised to win, accompanied by "Hurley" and "City of Absolute Beauty".

This is the most logical explanation. Both "Hurley" and "Beautiful City" are from crews that have stayed in Cannes after the premiere. They didn't receive calls about the ceremony, and their participation here is likely more about publicity or North American sales than expectations of winning. These crews likely came as tourists, without the mentality of competing.

It's also possible this is all part of a prank orchestrated by Steven Spielberg, deliberately throwing everyone off the scent.

Under the spotlight, Steven dispelled any further suspense and announced the final winner, bringing an end to the chaotic predictions:

"The 66th Cannes Film Festival Palme d'Or winner is 'The Life of Adele,' directed by Abdellatif Kechiche, with actors Léa Seydoux and Adèle Exarchopoulos."

At the media center, the reporters were stunned. When they heard "Adele's Life" mentioned, they cheered softly. But before they could release their full excitement, Steven continued, adding another line that left everyone reeling in confusion:

"In a groundbreaking move, the Palme d'Or has been awarded to the director and the two actresses of 'Adele's Life', marking a historic moment in the festival's history."

At this revelation, the media center fell silent, trying to process the news. The Palme d'Or wasn't simply awarded to the director, as is the custom—it was awarded to both the director and the leading actresses, creating an unprecedented double win.

No tie for the Palme d'Or, no major upsets. This confirmed what had been suspected: "Hurley" and "City of Absolute Beauty" were never really in contention. The main creative teams of those films were staying in Cannes for publicity reasons, not with the expectation of winning.

In fact, it was Steven who helped bring them into the event, adding an element of surprise to keep the suspense alive. While Roman Polanski declined his invitation, Paolo Sorrentino accepted, contributing to the tension and drama that made this year's Cannes awards especially unpredictable.

Once Steven announced the Palme d'Or winner, the media center was in shock. This was the first time in Cannes history that both a director and two lead actors had been awarded the Palme d'Or.

For years, the Palme d'Or had been seen as a collective award, celebrating the director's contribution to the film. This was different. Steven explicitly named the director, Abdellatif Kechiche, and the two actresses, Léa Seydoux and Adèle Exarchopoulos. The Palme d'Or was, for the first time, a joint honor.

This was as groundbreaking as the earlier "Drunken Country Ballads" win: a Jury Prize for the Coen brothers, with Renly receiving Best Actor.

Not only did "Adele's Life" achieve historical recognition, but it also became the first film to win the Palme d'Or for both actresses, making history in ways never before seen at Cannes.

It wasn't just the critics who were impressed; the media and the public were in awe. The moment "Adele's Life" was announced as the winner, applause erupted throughout Lumière Hall. The media center followed suit, recognizing that this might be the most perfect conclusion to a Cannes Film Festival.

Emily, observing all of this, couldn't help but smile. It was clear that Steven, a top-tier producer, had skillfully navigated the event, securing a public relations triumph. "Drunken Country Ballads" and "Adele's Life" were both films praised by critics, and both were among the biggest winners of the night.

Still, deep inside, Emily felt a faint pang of disappointment. Did this mean "Adele's Life" had outshone "Drunken Country Ballads" in the end, both in terms of awards and overall recognition? It seemed that the jury preferred "Adele's Life", but Emily couldn't let go of her personal attachment to "Drunken Country Ballads."

She knew, though, that it was pointless to dwell on these details. Cinema is, after all, subjective. The judges may have chosen one film, but that didn't diminish her love for the other.

Ultimately, the Palme d'Or still belonged to "Drunken Country Ballads" in her heart.

With a long sigh, Emily accepted that another Cannes Film Festival had come to an end.