60th Annual Cannes Film Festival Winds to a Close
 Written by: Naomi Wiggins



































After an auspicious start with the tepidly received world premiere of My Blueberry Nights, the 60th Annual Cannes Film Festival gracefully recovered its footing and took off at a full sprint. Brimming with high- profile charity events, concerts, celebrities selling kisses, screenings of logic-defying independent films and the glitzy Out of Competition premieres of the likes of Ocean's Thirteen, A Mighty Heart and Sicko, this year's Cannes Film Festival was classy, successful and lucrative . . . in more ways than one.

Winding to a close on May 27th, the festival judges faced the difficult decision of highlighting excellence amidst perfection. Before the final festival screening of Days of Darkness and an impressive closing gala at La Roseraie, the jury panel, helmed by Director Stephen Frears, delegated this year's festival awards to a handful of deserving films and filmmakers in an award ceremony hosted by actress Diane Kruger.

In the Feature Films category, the highly sought after Palme d'Or was awarded to Romanian Director Christian Mungiu for his film, 4 Luni, 3 Saptamini Si 2 Zile (4 Months, 3 Weeks and 2 Days). Depicting the desperate struggle for an illegal abortion made by two young girls in the final years of the Communist-dominated Romania, the film has earned plenty of early critical praise - "Pitch perfect and brilliantly acted, "4 Months, 3 Weeks & 2 Days" is a stunning achievement, helmed with a purity and honesty that captures not just the illegal abortion story at its core but the constant, unremarked negotiations necessary for survival in the final days of the Soviet bloc." - Jay Weissberg, Variety.com

The Grand Prix, second prize in the Feature Films category, went to the Japanese film, Mogari No Mori (The Mourning Forest). Director Naomi Kawase's deftly spun tale of a caretaker and her charge getting lost in the forest and ultimately finding personal healing proved its mettle as it slid under the radar and into the second place slot.

Lee Chang-dong's Secret Sunshine scored a win in the Best Actress Category as Jeon Do-yeon was honored for her turn as woman starting over, as a mother dealing with loss on more than one front. Meanwhile, Konstantin Lavonenko secured the Best Actor Award for his role as a conflicted husband in the Russian-made Izgnanie (The Banishment).

Captializing on its pre-awards show buzz, Le scaphandre et le papillon (The Diving Bell and the Butterfly) secured the Feature Film Best Director Award for Julian Schnabel. Based off the true story of writer/editor Jean-Dominique Bauby who blinked out his internal monolouge after a stroke left him utterly paralyzed but for his left eye, the film is a beautifully wrought tribute to an intensely courageous man.

The Feature Film Best Screenplay Award went to Fatih Akin's multi-layered drama Auf der anderen Seite (The Edge of Heaven). Centered around the actions of a rebellious and unconventional woman, the film follows the emotional archs of several characters, archs that, according to Derek Elley of Variety.com, are played out beautifully - The Edge of Heaven "has a lean, almost procedural style, in which every scene and line of dialogue counts. Akin doesn't try to hide the plot's coincidences or Swiss watch-like precision, which is given human resonance by the flawless playing of the six leads." - Derek Elley of Variety.com

Persepolis - an animated story about a young girl's journey to adulthood during the Iranian revolution - and Stellet Licht (Silent Light) - a tale of taboo passions flourishing amidst a menninite community - shared this year's Feature Film Jury Award, bringing honor to Directors Marjane Satrapi and Vincent Paronnaud and Director Carlo Reygadas respectively.

For a full list of winners in the Feature Films, Cinefondation, Un Certain Regard and Camera d'Or categories, check out the link below.

2007 Cannes Film Festival 

 That's Canes - not Cannes!
 The University of Miami presents the 2007 Canes Student Film Festival

Last Thursday, May 24, 2007, an influx of University of Miami students, festival supporters and industry professionals crowded through the gates of Paramount Studios to view seven award-winning student films at the LA screening of the 2007 Canes Film Festival.

Amidst the swirling orange and green covered reception tables and an introduction by University of Miami alum, Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson, a festive air of celebration wound its way around the room, colliding with an ever-present enthusiasm for the process of filmmaking that was refreshingly potent . . . especially within the recesses of one of the biggest studios in the dog-eat-dog world of Hollywood.

Hopefully, that enthusiasm won't wane with experience.

Among the seven screened student films - The Ace of Pincrest Falls, Blackbird, Film Major, Gallo Pinto, The Laughing God, Little Haiti, USA and The Room - two shorts managed to stand out above and beyond the rest, displaying talent, impressive sensitivity and a hopeful glimpse into the future of filmmaking.

The Room begins with an instantaneously engrossing spiral shot of a nondescript room filled with nothing more than a mattress, a young girl and a dead body. With sophisticated economy and a delightful lack of pretension, The Room weaves its tale and gives its audience just enough.

Undergraduate Co-directors and brothers, Andres and Diego Meza-Valdes never overpower, never say too much, never push across a blatant message or theme. They merely provide a beautiful framework grounded by an economic script by Marco Ramirez, subtle editing from Matthew Berkowitz and engrossing cinematography by Jorge Valdez-Iga that leaves a viewer wanting more.

Blackbird, quietly assertive and impeccably well- acted, spins the tale of a young girl who wishes to fly away from her dismal circumstances as a beautiful blackbird. From graduate student, writer/director Kirsten Strom, the film filters across the screen with skillful creativity and evident passion.

Strom beautiful handles a theme that could so easily become preachy and synthetic with understated but intense performances that allow the audience to find their own way through the story. Coupling these performances with the bold, saturated colors and steady camera work of Corey Eisenstein, Blackbird proves itself to be a pensive but delightful feast for the eyes.

IFA extends hearty congratulations to all the screened student filmmakers and to the University of Miami on a smooth and festive celebration of the 2007 Canes Film Festival!

For more information on the University of Miami's School of Communication's Canes Film Festival, check out the link below.

2007 Canes Film Festival