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'Fjord' by Romania's Mungiu wins Cannes Film Festival's top prize

Published by Global Banking & Finance Review

Posted on May 23, 2026

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· Last updated: May 23, 2026

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'Fjord' by Romania's Mungiu wins Cannes Film Festival's top prize

Cannes Film Festival 2024: Winners and Highlights

By Miranda Murray

Main Award: Palme d'Or

CANNES, France, May 23 (Reuters) - "Fjord," the drama by Romanian director Cristian Mungiu, won the Cannes Film Festival's Palme d'Or top prize on Saturday. 

Cristian Mungiu's Achievement

It is the second time Mungiu has won the prize, after 2007's "4 Months, 3 Weeks and 2 Days." 

About the Film "Fjord"

The film starring Sebastian Stan and Renate Reinsve is centred around the clash of values that ensues when a religious family relocates from Romania to a Norwegian village.

Other Major Awards

Grand Prize

The second-place Grand Prize went to "Minotaur," a drama about a wife's infidelity, from Russian director Andrey Zvyagintsev.

Best Director

The best director prize was shared between Poland's Pawel Pawlikowski for his Thomas Mann drama "Fatherland" and the Spanish duo known as "Los Javis," Javier Ambrossi and Javier Calvo, for the Spanish Civil War epic "The Black Ball."

Best Actress

The best actress prize was handed to the two leads of Ryusuke Hamaguchi's "All of a Sudden," France's Virginie Efira and Japan's Tao Okamoto, both of whom wiped away tears as they took to the stage.

Best Actor

The best actor prize was also shared by the two main stars of Belgian World War One gay love story "Coward," Valentin Campagne and newcomer Emmanuel Macchia.

Jury Prize

The jury prize went to "The Dreamed Adventure," a drama about an archaeological dig in Bulgaria, by German film director Valeska Grisebach.

Special Recognition

Honorary Palme d'Or

Famed U.S. singer and actor Barbra Streisand was given an honorary Palme d'Or in absentia, after she could not attend the ceremony due to a knee injury.

Acceptance and Tribute

French screen icon Isabelle Huppert accepted the award on Streisand's behalf.

Streisand, the 84-year-old star of movies including "Yentl" and "Funny Girl" praised cinema's ability to unite people, in a video message accepting the award.

Reporting Credits

(Reporting by Miranda Murray in Cannes, France; Editing by Matthew Lewis)

Key Takeaways

  • “Fjord” received a prolonged standing ovation—over ten minutes at its May 18 world premiere—indicating strong emotional impact and audience resonance (hungamaexpress.com).
  • This marks Mungiu’s second Palme d’Or, cementing his stature in auteur cinema; his previous win was in 2007 (thewrap.com).
  • Featuring Oscar-nominated stars Sebastian Stan and Renate Reinsve, the film depicts a religious family’s struggle under scrutiny in a Norwegian village, spotlighting conflicts over parenting and cultural norms (thewrap.com).

References

Frequently Asked Questions

Who directed the film 'Fjord'?
'Fjord' was directed by Romanian filmmaker Cristian Mungiu.
What award did 'Fjord' win at the Cannes Film Festival?
'Fjord' won the Palme d'Or, the top prize at the Cannes Film Festival.
Who stars in the film 'Fjord'?
The drama features Sebastian Stan and Renate Reinsve in leading roles.
What is the focus of the film 'Fjord'?
'Fjord' centers on a religious Romanian family relocating to a Norwegian village and facing a clash of values.

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