The Cannes Film Festival recently concluded its seventy-seventh edition, culminating in the surprising yet well-deserved Palme d’Or win for “Anora,” a poignant depiction of a sex worker’s adventures in New York City by Sean Baker. As the first American director to win the Palme since Terrence Malick in 2011, Baker delivered a stirring acceptance speech, advocating for the theatrical experience and paying tribute to sex workers.
Having had the privilege of viewing all twenty-two films in competition on the grand scale of the cinema, I’ve ranked them from the most outstanding to the least:
Cannes Films Ranked
1. “Caught by the Tides”
Jia Zhangke masterfully weaves together fragments of time to tell a poignant love story set against the backdrop of modern China.
2. “All We Imagine as Light”
Payal Kapadia’s delicate narrative explores the lives of two nurses in Mumbai with quiet truthfulness and sensuous texture.
3. “Grand Tour”
Miguel Gomes takes viewers on a playful colonial-era travelogue, blending color and black-and-white seamlessly against stunning Asian locales.
4. “The Seed of the Sacred Fig”
Mohammad Rasoulof’s blistering domestic drama, shot in secret, offers a thrilling blend of action and psychological intensity.
5. “Anora”
Sean Baker’s portrayal of a Manhattan strip-club dancer’s impulsive marriage is a dazzling mix of comedy and empathy.
6. “The Shrouds”
David Cronenberg’s latest invention in this darkly humorous film explores themes of decay and technology with a deeply personal touch.
7. “Megalopolis”
Francis Ford Coppola’s passion project offers a grim yet optimistic view of civilization’s future, brought to life by an exceptional ensemble cast.
8. “The Substance”
Coralie Fargeat’s body-horror bonanza offers a thrilling exploration of aging and identity, propelled by fierce performances.
9. “Motel Destino”
Karim Aïnouz’s sexually uninhibited thriller set in a roadside motel is a feverish exploration of desire and obsession.
10. “Emilia Pérez”
Jacques Audiard’s genre-melding musical showcases remarkable performances, despite its divisive reception.
11. “Oh, Canada”
Paul Schrader’s exploration of memory and mortality delivers a moving narrative through fragmented consciousness.
12. “The Girl with the Needle”
Magnus von Horn’s stark drama offers a chilling portrayal of domestic turmoil set against the aftermath of World War I.
13. “Three Kilometres to the End of the World”
Emanuel Pârvu’s well-observed drama falls short in exploring its protagonist’s perspective fully.
14. “Kinds of Kindness”
Yorgos Lanthimos’s sprawling compendium of comic cruelty struggles to maintain interest despite strong performances.
15. “Bird”
Andrea Arnold’s coming-of-age story loses momentum with its magical-realist turn, diluting its impact.
16. “Beating Hearts”
Gilles Lellouche’s rambunctious love story charms with its cornball charm but overstays its welcome.
17. “Limonov: The Ballad”
Kirill Serebrennikov’s muddled bio-pic fails to capture the rebellious spirit of its subject, despite lively performances.
18. “Parthenope”
Paolo Sorrentino’s vision of Naples is sensually overpowering but lacks coherence in its storytelling.
19. “Wild Diamond”
Agathe Riedinger’s exploration of beauty worship struggles to stand out amidst a sea of similar narratives.
20. “The Apprentice”
Ali Abbasi’s drama about Donald Trump’s rise lacks revelatory insight, despite solid performances.
21. “Marcello Mio”
Christophe Honoré’s meta-comedy falls flat in its whimsical exploration of legacy and identity.
22. “The Most Precious of Cargoes”
Michel Hazanavicius’s animated fable about the Holocaust descends into bathetic imagery, losing its emotional impact.
