Neon Steals the Show at Cannes Again, But What's Next?
Neon’s fearless CEO Tom Quinn once again proved he’s playing 4D chess at the Cannes Film Festival. In a classic last-minute move, he scooped up Jafar Panahi’s It Was Just an Accident only two days before the awards ceremony—and it paid off big time. That risky bet? It snagged the Palme d’Or, marking Neon’s sixth consecutive win of the festival’s top honor. Yeah, six.
But that wasn’t the only trophy added to the Neon cabinet.
🚨 Festival Sweep Alert:
-
Palme d’Or: It Was Just an Accident (Iranian dissident Jafar Panahi)
-
Jury Prize: Sirât (shared with MUBI’s Sound of Falling)
-
Best Director: Kleber Mendonça Filho (The Secret Agent)
-
Best Actor: Wagner Moura (The Secret Agent)
Talk about a mic drop.
Meanwhile, Neon’s pre-festival investment also came through. Joachim Trier’s Sentimental Value, a family drama out of Norway, took home the Grand Prix, aka the second-highest prize at Cannes. The buzz was real from the beginning, and the win only solidified Quinn’s eye for prestige hits. With a seasoned cast including Stellan Skarsgård and Renate Reinsve, this one’s looking like Oscar bait in all the right ways.
MUBI’s Risky Bet Didn’t Pay Off—But They’re Still in the Game
On the other end of the acquisition battlefield, MUBI dropped a whopping $23 million on Die My Love by Scottish auteur Lynne Ramsay. The cast? Mega-stacked, featuring Jennifer Lawrence. But Cannes wasn’t buying what they were selling. The film walked away empty-handed.
Still, all hope isn’t lost for MUBI. If Lawrence had clinched the Best Actress award, we might’ve seen an Oscar campaign explode into motion. But even without the gold, MUBI is reportedly still pushing hard for awards traction come Academy season. You know they’re going to play that indie prestige card all the way through the fall.
Hollywood Flops at Cannes – But Spike Lee Brings the Heat
American films didn’t exactly clean up at the Cannes awards this year. Ari Aster’s Eddington, a political western distributed by A24, failed to leave a mark. Wes Anderson’s quirky The Phoenician Scheme (from Focus Features) also came up short. Both were expected to be contenders but fizzled when it mattered most.
But hey—there was one American highlight that stole the spotlight even outside the official competition: Spike Lee’s Highest 2 Lowest. This gritty New York family drama, inspired by Kurosawa’s High and Low, brought none other than Denzel Washington to the Croisette. Despite not being in competition due to doubts about Denzel’s availability, the 70-year-old legend made a surprise appearance on his day off—and was rewarded with an Honorary Palme d’Or, handed to him by Spike himself. Pure Cannes magic.
Oscar Buzz: Who’s Got the Momentum?
So, with all these wins and buzzy titles, who’s best positioned to make a splash during awards season?
Neon’s Sentimental Value is shaping up to be their biggest Oscar hopeful. The film’s got emotional depth, a family saga arc, and two internationally respected actors leading the charge. Skarsgård’s turn as a washed-up director trying to reclaim his legacy is getting rave reviews. And Reinsve, who won Best Actress at Cannes in 2021, is back with another intense performance as his troubled daughter.
Potential Oscar Push:
-
Stellan Skarsgård: Best Actor contender
-
Renate Reinsve: Best Supporting Actress, or even Lead
-
Best International Feature: Norway’s likely submission
And don’t forget about Neon’s animated contender Arco—a French eco-conscious film that could follow in the Oscar-nominated footsteps of Flee and Robot Dreams. It’s quirky, relevant, and completely charming. Academy voters eat that up.
Jafar Panahi and the Politics of the Academy
Here’s where things get really interesting.
Panahi’s It Was Just an Accident is a cinematic bombshell, made in secret in Iran due to his ongoing conflict with the government. But here’s the snag: Iran probably won’t submit the film for the Oscars due to political tensions. Fortunately, the Academy recently added a new eligibility rule: films can be submitted if creative control was in the hands of people with refugee or asylum status.
Panahi hasn’t yet sought asylum—but insiders hint that might change soon. If he does, countries like Luxembourg or France, where post-production wrapped, might step up to submit the film. A Cannes Palme d’Or winner backed by Neon? That’s a strong contender if it makes the cut.
International Feature Race: Who’s In?
Let’s talk Best International Feature Film. Based on the Cannes results, here are the likely submissions from each country:
🗳️ Probable Submissions:
-
Brazil: The Secret Agent
-
Norway: Sentimental Value
-
France or Spain: Sirât
-
Germany: Sound of Falling
-
Belgium: Young Mothers
The Dardenne brothers’ Young Mothers took home Best Screenplay, adding to their long list of Cannes accolades. Belgium’s track record with the brothers is mixed—they submit them sometimes, and sometimes not. This year? Feels like a "yes."
And don’t count out other non-winners. Sweden’s Eagles of the Republic and Iceland’s The Love That Remains might not have picked up trophies, but both drew serious critical attention. When it comes to the Oscar game, a well-timed campaign can make all the difference.
Hidden Gems in the Sidebar
Beyond the glitz of the main competition, the sidebar sections offered some major surprises:
🎥 Un Certain Regard Highlights:
-
Best Actor: Frank Dillane in Urchin – a poignant, funny look at homelessness, directed by actor Harris Dickinson. Major Oscar potential here with the right push.
-
Special Jury Prize: Un Poeta (Colombia) – beautifully poetic and emotionally resonant.
-
Nigerian-set My Father’s Shadow – could be the UK’s entry, given its production roots.
Also of note: Hafsia Herzi’s The Little Sister delivered a breakout performance from Nadia Melliti, who nabbed Best Actress in a sidebar category. That gives France two possible entries: Sirât or this small but mighty character study. Either could lead the charge.
What Didn’t Land – But Still Has a Shot
Let’s not forget Richard Linklater’s passion project Nouvelle Vague. A tribute to Godard’s Breathless, the film didn’t snag any awards and is still searching for distribution. That said, its French production roots keep it in the conversation for France’s Oscar pick—though it’s now a long shot.
Final Takeaway: Neon Rules Cannes, Again
Six straight Palme d’Or wins? That’s not just luck—that’s dominance. Tom Quinn and Neon aren’t just picking winners, they’re shaping the international film narrative. And with a potential Oscar campaign for Sentimental Value, a politically loaded masterpiece in It Was Just an Accident, and an animated gem in Arco, they’re poised to own awards season too.
Stay tuned, because Cannes might be over—but the Oscar race is just heating up. 🔥
Login