With only his second film in competition at the Cannes Film Festival, Sean Baker won the Palme d’Or for “Anora” as the 77th annual event concluded on 25 May. The comedic-drama about a sex worker who marries the son of a Russian oligarch was one of the highlights at this year’s festival, receiving widespread critical acclaim. Baker’s film was acquired by NEON in November of 2023, making it the fifth year in a row one of the indie distributor’s titles has won the top prize in Cannes.

Reading from prepared remarks when accepting the award during the event’s closing ceremony, Baker wasn’t shy about letting audiences know he hoped they’d see his film. “I will continue to fight for cinema because right now, as filmmakers, we have to fight to keep cinema alive. This means making feature films intended for theatrical exhibition.”

The Grand Prix trophy, generally considered the runner-up prize in Cannes, was awarded to Indian filmmaker Payal Kapadia for “All We Imagine as Light.” This marks the first time in 30 years that an Indian film was selected by Cannes to appear in competition.

Jacques Audiard’s “Emilia Pérez” earned two major prizes – the Jury Prize and Best Actress for the film’s ensemble cast including Zoe Saldaña, Karla Sofía Gascón, Selena Gomez and Adriana Paz. The musical drama follows a young lawyer who helps the head of a Mexican drug cartel transition to a woman and then care for her children by pretending to be their aunt. For a complete list of 2024 Cannes Film Festival winners, click HERE.