Cannes Fest Awards: Jafar Panahi Wins Palme d’Or for ‘It Was Just an Accident,’ ‘The Secret Agent’ Earns Dual Prizes, Best Director and Actor

Bringing a turbulent world together through cinema, the 78th Cannes Film Fest went smoothly, despite hosting a day of films honoring Ukraine at the outset and provocative films from Israel and Gaza in various sections.
But then a massive power blackout that hit the entire region on the final day of the festival, disrupting screenings and causing general confusion among festgoers.
Fortunately, the festival had backup generators running, ensuring that the show would go on at the Palais, where jury president Juliette Binoche and eight other artists took the stage to present their awards at the closing ceremony.
No Awards for American Movies
The year after an American film (Anora) won the Palme d’Or and then went on to Oscar glory, the country was shut out of the awards altogether — though U.S. distributor Neon once again had rights locked up for the evening’s top prize.