Romanian writer-director Cristian Mungiu won the Palme d’Or for his film "Fjord" at the 79th Cannes Film Festival [2, 3].
The victory places Mungiu in an elite group of filmmakers and marks a rare repeat success at one of the world's most prestigious cinema events.
The award was announced during the closing ceremony on May 23 [1, 4]. The jury, headed by president Park Chan-wook, selected the film for the top honor [6]. "Fjord" is described as a provocative drama and a complex moral story dealing with child abuse [1, 3].
This is the second time Mungiu has received the Palme d’Or [1, 2]. He previously won the award in 2007 for his film "4 Months, 3 Weeks and 2 Days" [3].
With this win, Mungiu is now one of only 10 directors to have won the top prize twice [3]. Despite the growing number of repeat winners, no director in the history of the festival has won three Palmes [3].
The 79th edition of the festival concluded with the announcement of the winners in Cannes, France [2, 3]. While the majority of reports date the announcement to May 23, some sources noted the win on May 24 [4].
“Cristian Mungiu won the Palme d’Or for his film "Fjord" at the 79th Cannes Film Festival.”
Mungiu's second win reinforces the global influence of the Romanian New Wave and highlights a trend toward provocative, moral dramas at Cannes. By joining a small group of 10 double-winners, Mungiu cements his status as a definitive voice in contemporary world cinema, though the 'three-win' ceiling remains unbroken.
