This year’s Cannes film festival has announced its winners, and there are two Korean films taking home an award. Lee Chang-dong won the prize for “Best Screenplay” in the Official Competition section for POETRY. The lead actress of the film, Yoon Jung-hee, was a favorite for “Best Actress” but lost to Juliette Binoche in Abbas Kiarostami’s CERTIFIED COPY. This may be at least partly because Jeon Do-yeon won previously at Cannes in 2007 for Lee’s last work, SECRET SUNSHINE, and Cannes typically likes to spread the awards around. Also, within the “Un Certain Regard” section, Hong Sang-soo was awarded the top prize for HAHAHA, which has just opened here but, unfortunately, as far as I am aware, not yet with English subtitles. The “Un Certain Regard” category is parallel to the main Palme d’Or competition, meant to recognize young talent and encourage innovative and daring work.  Given that the French director Claire Denis was the jury head, and that she is one of Hong’s biggest supporters, this is hardly a surprise pick. Hong’s prize means HAHAHA will receive a grant to help its French distribution, and hopefully this will lead to a release, at least on DVD, in North America. Two of the films recognized in the “Un Certain Regard” category last year, DOGTOOTH and POLICE, ADJECTIVE, were among my favorite of the year, so this bodes well for Hong’s latest, which we should (fingers cross) see here soon.

The winner of the Palme d’Or was Thai independent filmmaker Apichatpong Weerasethakul’s UNCLE BOONMEE WHO CAN RECALL HIS PAST LIVES, a controversial choice in that Weerasethakul is one of the most difficult filmmakers out there and will be nearly impossible to market even with the Palme d’Or name recognition. An admirable choice by the jury.

Complete winners can be found here.

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