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Director Malick wins Palme d’Or at Cannes for ‘Tree of Life’
CANNES, France — Austin director Terrence Malick became the first Texan ever to win the top prize, the Palme d’Or, at the Cannes Film Festival on Sunday, for his ambitious, cosmic “The Tree of Life.”
The movie, which centers on a family in 1950s Waco, includes about a 20-minute segment that focuses on the birth of the universe and has been called a Texan “2001,” a reference to Stanley Kubrick’s “2001: A Space Odyssey.”
Malick, who does not make public appearances, did not show up at the Palais to accept the award, but two of his producers did. “He remains notoriously, infamously shy but quite humble,” said producer Bill Pohlad.
When the movie premiered Monday, it received a mixed reaction from the press, but support for the film, which was made in Smithville and Austin, has been growing in recent days. It stars Brad Pitt, Jessica Chastain and Sean Penn.
Penn also starred in Italian director Paolo Sorrentino’s “This Must Be the Place,” but it was shut out of the major awards.
The festival was one of the strongest in decades. And several critically praised films didn’t get any awards. One of the biggest surprises was the absence of any honors for Aki Kaurismaki, whose “Le Havre” was one of the critics’ favorites.
Two movies shared the grand prize, or the second-place award. “The Kid With the Bike,” by Belgium’s Dardenne brothers, shared the prize with Nuri Bilge Ceylan’s “Once Upon a Time in Anatolia,” an operatic but soporific look at a Turkish crime.
Best actress was a suprise. It went to Kirsten Dunst, the star of Lars von Trier’s “Melancholia.” Dunst seemed shocked Sunday night, and said, “Wow, what a week it’s been,” a reference to the furor over Danish director’s controversial remarks about Hitler during a Cannes press conference. Von Trier was later labeled “persona non grata” by festival organizers, but his movie remained in competition.
Best actor went to Jean Dujardin, who played a fading but charming silent film star in “The Artist.”
Best director went to Denmark’s Nicolas Winding Refn for “Drive,” starring Ryan Gosling.
Best screenplay went to Joseph Cedar of Israel for his drama about Talmudic scholarship, “Footnote.”
“Polisse,” a French police procedural from director Maiwenn, won the jury prize, or third prize. And Pablo Giorgelli won the Camera d’Or for his first film, “Las Acacias.”
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By conquer
May 23, 2011 9:54 AM | Link to this
That a piece of ridiculous, superficial, heavy-handed, over-hyped, thinly veiled male-narcissist melodrama (which, funnily, declares to be ‘about’ nature) won anything, with its attending legion of fanboys (remember ‘Black Swan’ still?), speaks to nothing but the complete lack of integrity and credibility that Cannes has now—which we’ve all already known anyway.
By mdlonghorn
May 22, 2011 6:21 PM | Link to this
Terry Malick deserves this award. He is a legend in his own time over 4 decades. A nicer, more approachable person is difficult to find nowadays. We are fortunate to have him as our neighbor here in Austin.
Congratulations, Terry. And thanks for your work on the environmental film, The Unforeseen, by Laura Dunn. Your efforts to preserve Barton Springs are appreciated.
By Patientia rara virtus
May 22, 2011 4:38 PM | Link to this
“SMITHVILLE: Home of ‘Hope Floats,’ One of the Worst, and ‘The Tree of Life,’ One of the Best.”
By mj4
May 22, 2011 3:23 PM | Link to this
Wow. Congratulations!
By Dr Dave
May 22, 2011 1:50 PM | Link to this
Congratulations on a job well done.