Sawt Falasteen - Russian war drama among favourites for Cannes top prize

The world's biggest film festival is set to bestow its annual Palme d'Or for best film at a star-packed ceremony on the French Riviera after two weeks of premieres, red carpets and parties.

"Minotaur", by exiled Russian auteur Andrey Zvyagintsev, depicting a callous and calculating Russian businessman in the midst of Russia's mobilisation for the Ukraine war, has emerged as one of several strong contenders for the prize.

"Those who agree that it's time to put an end to this hell, and that it's a nightmare and a disaster for Russia, those people will understand this film clearly," Zvyagintsev told AFP this week, referring to the war.

Other critics' favourites include "La Bola Negra", a big-budget Spanish drama about multiple gay lives, arty black-and-white historical drama "Fatherland", and "Fjord", which stars Norwegian actress Renate Reinsve.

A widely praised French production, "A Man of His Time", about an ambitious local official working in France's collaborationist government during World War II, or poignant humanist drama "All of a Sudden", by Japan's Ryusuke Hamaguchi might also be in with a shot.

This year's jury is headed by South Korean auteur Park Chan-wook and includes Hollywood star Demi Moore and Oscar-winning "Nomadland" director Chloe Zhao.

Last year's prize was handed to "It Was Just an Accident", a political drama written and directed by dissident Iranian director Jafar Panahi that tackled issues of torture and revenge in the Islamic republic.

- Other prizes -

Some prizes have already been handed out, with Iranian documentary "Rehearsals for a Revolution", about political repression in the war-wracked country by exiled actress and director Pegah Ahangarani, taking the top documentary prize.

One of Britain's only feature films showing in Cannes, "I See Buildings Fall Like Lightning", by Clio Barnard about a group of five friends, picked up top prize in the parallel Directors' Fortnight section.

The 79th edition of the film festival was packed with its usual stable of A-listers from John Travolta to Cate Blanchett, but Hollywood was under-represented.

No major US studio agreed to launch a blockbuster at Cannes this year, or at the Berlin International Film Festival in February, raising questions about why giants such as Universal, Disney or Warner are dodging European events.

Other big talking points included the use of artificial intelligence in filmmaking, as well as the continued under-representation of women in the industry.

Only five out of 22 of the films in the main competition this year were directed by women.

F.AbuShamala--SF-PST