Jeremy Strong is a new member of the Cannes Film Festival competition jury. To choose a winner, the jury had to watch 21 films in the pool.
He described his feelings about being part of such a group as an honour, saying, “I feel immeasurably inspired by what I’ve seen here. It’s been so invigorating, and this sort of cumulative tally of the work I’ll carry with me.”
The 46-year-old continued, “This has been a really wonderful experience, a really connected experience with these people – it’s like ‘Conclave’ with champagne. It’s really great.”
Juliette Binoche headed the jury along with The Succession star, Halle Berry, Payal Kapadia, Hong Sansoo, Alba Rohrwacher, Leïla Slimani, Dieudo Hamadi and Carlos Reygadas were part of it.
In the meantime, the jury awarded Palme d’Or to Jafar Panahi’s It Was Just an Accident. The group’s president explained the decision in the press conference, “It’s very human and political at the same time because he comes from a complicated country, politically speaking.”
She continued, “When we watched the film, it really stood out. The film springs from a feeling of resistance, survival, which is absolutely necessary today. So we thought it was important to give this film the paramount award.”
“Art will always win. What is human will always win. Our creative urge can transform the world,” Juliette concluded.