Cannes 2019: South Korea's Bong Joon-ho wins top prize for 'Parasite'

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Following 12 days of intense emotions and passion shared by all cinema fanatics, the annual Cannes Film Festival, in its 72nd edition, culminated Saturday night with a dazzling constellation of film masters and movies stars in attendance at its closing ceremony.

South Korean director Bong Joon-ho scooped the top honor Palme d'Or with "Parasite," a satirical morality tale about the widening gap between the rich and the poor in his homeland.

The 49-year-old filmmaker, who is best known for daring art house hits including "Okja" and "Snowpiercer," became the first Korean to ever win the top award at the world's biggest film festival in the country's 100-year cinematic history.

Catherine Deneuve applauds as (L-R) Lee Jung-eun, Song Kang-ho and Bong Joon-ho celebrate after receiving the Palme d'Or award for the film "Parasite" at the closing ceremony of the 72nd Cannes Film Festival in Cannes, France, May 25, 2019. /VCG Photo

While receiving the prize from French movie legend Catherine Deneuve, Bong said winning at Cannes had been a lifelong dream.

"I was a little boy who was crazy about cinema since I was 12 years old," Bong said, hoisting the palm-frond statuette in the air.

He called his longtime leading actor, Song Kang-ho, whom he described as his "alter-ego" onto the stage to receive the award with him.

South Korean director Bong Joon-ho, winner of the Palme d'Or award, poses with the president of the Main Competition Jury Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu during the closing ceremony of the 72nd Cannes Film Festival in Cannes, France, May 25, 2019. /VCG Photo

"Parasite" is the second Asian film in a row to triumph at the world's biggest film festival.

The award adds to a successful run at the French cinema showcase for Asian films after Japanese director Hirokazu Kore-eda got the prestigious honor for widely acclaimed "Shoplifters" last year.

Scroll down to see the list of the prize-winners at the 72nd Cannes Film Festival!

First black woman to win big

French actress and film director Mati Diop (R) poses with U.S. actor Sylvester Stallone after she was awarded the Grand Prix for her film "Atlantics (Atlantique)" at the 72nd Cannes Film Festival in Cannes, France, May 25, 2019. /VCG Photo

The festival also shone a light on a debut feature film by Franco-Senegalese director Mati Diop, whose haunting migrant tale "Atlantics" clinched the runner-up Grand Prix award. The 36-year-old made history as the first black woman to win such glory at Cannes.

"Atlantics" follows a ghost story that turns the spotlight on the women who are left behind as their partners and loved ones set off from Dakar on a perilous sea crossing.

With tears in eyes, Diop, also the first black woman ever to vie for the top Cannes award, said it was not foremost in her mind after her win but added that the recognition was symbolically important. "It doesn't really belong to me but I'm OK to be that person, to be that woman," Diop said.

The closing ceremony of the 72nd annual Cannes Film Festival in Cannes, France, May 25, 2019. /VCG Photo

Diop was among the four female directors in contention for the Palme d'Or this year out of 21 entries. There were a total of 20 female directors in the 2019 official selection with eight in Un Certain Regard, three Special Screenings, and five in the Short Films Competition

This year's Cannes observed filmmakers' efforts to push for more gender equality in the industry. For the first time, the festival has methodically counted the female filmmakers submitting their film for the selection, and the results showed that women's presence is becoming increasingly significant.

Sociopolitical issues under spotlight

Cannes favorites Belgium's Dardenne brothers, two-time winners of the Palme d'Or, clinched the best director award for "Young Ahmed."

Jean-Pierre Dardenne (L) and Luc Dardenne, winners of the Best Director Award for the film "Young Ahmed," pose at the Winners Photo Call during the 72nd Cannes Film Festival in Cannes, France, May 25, 2019. /VCG Photo

Their newest piece depicted the portrait of a Muslim teenage boy living in modern Belgium who attempts to kill his teacher after being brainwashed by an Islamist hate preacher.

Jean-Pierre Dardenne said the movie offered an ultimately optimistic vision "in these dark and difficult times with identitarian populism on the rise."

Cannes darling Quentin Tarantino, however, failed to win anything for his latest buzz-worthy title "Once Upon a Time in Hollywood," which brought together two of Tinseltown's most dashing leading men, Brad Pitt and Leonardo DiCaprio, for the first time.

This year's Main Competition Jury applaud on stage during the closing ceremony of the 72nd Cannes Film Festival in Cannes, France, May 25, 2019. /VCG Photo

The third-place jury prize was shared by the Ladj Ly's gritty French police drama "Les Miserables" and Brazil's "Nighthawk" by Kleber Mendonça Filho and Juliano Dornelles – both are politically charged features.

On receiving the prize, Ly said he would like to dedicate the prize to "all the miserables of France" as the film "talks about different things that are common in this territory; the thing that is common between us is misery."

Noting that most of their chosen films dealt with critical issues the world is facing today, this year's jury president Alejandro Gonzales Inarritu noted: "Art can sometimes see the future…I think that now cinema has an urgency of social consciousness expressed by different people around the world."

'There's pain but also glory'

Chinese actress Zhang Ziyi (L) presents Antonio Banderas with the Best Actor Award for the film "Pain And Glory", May 25, 2019. /VCG Photo

Spanish veteran actor Antonio Banderas pocketed the male acting prize for his role as a tortured filmmaker in Pedro Almodovar's loosely biographical "Pain And Glory," receiving the trophy from Chinese actress Zhang Ziyi.

He dedicated his award to Almodovar and said: "It is a shared prize. Not only just because I've been directed by him, because it's the eighth movie we've done together... but because I play him," adding that "99.9 percent" of his character was based on the filmmaker.

Recalling his 40-year career, an emotional Banderas pointed again to the theme at the heart of the film, saying: "There is a lot of sacrifices and there is pain behind being an actor or being an actress, but also there are nights of glory, and this is my night of glory."

Emily Beecham, winner of the Best Actress award for her role in "Little Joe," May 25, 2019. /VCG Photo

British rising star Emily Beecham won the Best Actress award for her portrayal of an enigmatic scientist in Jessica Hausner's "Little Joe."

French writer-director Celine Sciamma earned a prize for best screenplay for her lesbian-themed period drama "Portrait Of A Lady On Fire," which explores the notion of the female gaze.

A Special Mention from the jury went to a Palestinian film director and actor Elia Suleiman's "It Must Be Heaven" – a droll commentary on his country's troubles. As a rare comedy in this year's competition, it also received the FIPRESCI Prize for Best Film In Competition.

List of winners at 72nd Cannes Film Festival

CGTN Graphic by Li Jingjie

Chinese films and stars shine at Cannes Film Festival

(With inputs from AFP; Cover image by Qu Bo)