After 12 days and nights, the 79th Cannes Film Festival ended with an awards ceremony that balanced a slate packed with on-screen conflict and angst
After 12 days and nights, the 79th Cannes Film Festival ended with an awards ceremony that balanced a slate packed with on-screen conflict and angst against a spirit of generosity and support.
The nine-person jury, led by South Korean filmmaker Park Chan-wook, and comprised of members Chloe Zhao, Laura Wandel, Diego Cespedes, Paul Laverty, Demi Moore, Isaach de Bankole, Stellan Skarsgård, and Ruth Negga, wasn’t always content to choose just one winner in each category. “Wow,” host Eye Haidara said more than once, as a tie was announced.
Those shared trophies included best actor, which was split between Emmanuel Macchia and Valentin Campagne, the World War I-era lovers of of Coward, and All of a Sudden stars Virginie Efira and Tao Okamoto. The ceremony was actually compact on trophies by the time best directors Pawel Pawlikowski (Fatherland) and Javier Calvo and Javier Ambrossi (The Black Ball) crowded the stage. Pawlikowski was even told to hold one of the Javis’ trophies “for a picture” from the stage, with a promise that his own trophy awaited him elsewhere.
Read on for all the winners at the 2026 Cannes Film Festival. For more on Cannes 2026, see Vanity Fair‘s gallery of red carpet fashion, our blog from the Croisette, and our complete Cannes 2026 archive.
Palme d’Or
Fjord, dir Cristian Mungiu
Grand Prix
Minotaur, dir Andrey Zvyagintsev
Best Director
Tie: Pawel Pawlikowski, Fatherland and Javier Calvo and Javier Ambrossi, The Black Ball
Jury Prize
The Dreamed Adventure, dir Valeska Grisebach
Best Actress
Tie: Virginie Efira and Tao Okamoto, both of All of a Sudden
Best Screenplay
Emmanuel Marre, A Man of His Time
Best Actor
Tie: Emmanuel Macchia and Valentin Campagne, both of Coward
Camera d’Or for Best First Film
Ben’Imana, dir. Clémentine Dusabejambo
Palme d’Or for Best Short Film
For The Opponents, dir. Federico Luis.
Un Certain Regard Prize for Best Film
Everytime, Sandra Wollner
Un Certain Regard Jury Prize
Elephants in the Fog, Abinash Bikram Shah (first film)
Un Certain Regard Special Jury Prize
Iron Boy, Louis Clichy
Un Certain Regard Best Actor
Bradley Fiomona Dembeasset, Congo Boy, dir. Rafiki Fariala
Un Certain Regard Best Actress
Marina de Tavira, Daniela Marín Navarro, Mariangel Villegas, Siempre Soy Tu Animal Materno, dir. Valentina Maurel
Everytime, Sandra Wollner
Un Certain Regard Jury Prize
Elephants in the Fog, Abinash Bikram Shah (first film)
Un Certain Regard Special Jury Prize
Iron Boy, Louis Clichy
Un Certain Regard Best Actor
Bradley Fiomona Dembeasset, Congo Boy, dir. Rafiki Fariala
Un Certain Regard Best Actress
Marina de Tavira, Daniela Marín Navarro, Mariangel Villegas, Siempre Soy Tu Animal Materno, dir. Valentina Maurel
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