Versatile Japanese actor Koji Yakusho was named Best Actor at Cannes for his role in "Perfect Days." - Image from Kyodo/Japan Times-ANN
PARIS, May 27 (Xinhua) -- French director Justine Triet was awarded with the Palme d'Or at the 76th Cannes Film Festival for her "Anatomy of a Fall" on Saturday night in Cannes, France, becoming the third female director winning this top prize.
After "Sibyl" in 2019, "Anatomy of a Fall" is Triet's second feature film chosen by the festival to compete for Palme d'Or.
In the award-winning film, Triet tries to expose the social prejudice that many independent women are facing by telling the story of a German writer who tried to prove her innocence after being accused of killing her husband.
In a press conference after the closing ceremony, the president of the jury, Swedish director Ruben Ostlund, said that "Anatomy of a Fall" was very "intense," and it was what the cinema should be like.
It was also a big night for Asian filmmakers. The Best Director was given to Franco-Vietnamese director Tran Anh Hung, while Best Screenplay was awarded to the film "Monster" directed by Japanese director Hirokazu Kore-eda.
Japanese actor Yakusho Koji has won the best actor award at the Cannes Film Festival for his performance in the movie "Perfect Days." The film was directed by Germany's Wim Wenders.
Turkish actress Merve Dizdar was the winner of Best Actress.
"Perfect Days" is set in Shibuya, Tokyo. The main character, played by Yakusho, makes a living cleaning public toilets.
It is the first time in 19 years that a Japanese actor has won the prize. In 2004, Yagira Yuya became the first Japanese to earn the award for his role in "Nobody Knows." That film was directed by Koreeda Hirokazu.
Japanese screenwriter Sakamoto Yuji won the Best Screenplay prize for "Monster," also directed by Koreeda Hirokazu.
The last time a Japanese film earned the Best Screenplay was in 2021 with "Drive My Car." Director Hamaguchi Ryusuke and scriptwriter Oe Takamasa received the honours.
British director Jonathan Glazer's film "The Zone of Interest" was the second most important prize of the festival, the Grand Prix.
The Jury Prize was awarded to Finnish director Aki Kaurismaki.
The 76th edition of the Cannes Film Festival kicked off on May 16 with 21 films selected to compete for the Palme d'Or. - Xinhua
