Romanian filmmaker Cristian Mungiu has made history again at Cannes by winning his second Palme d'Or with Fjord, a drama based on true events. The 79th edition of the festival shone with its star-studded red carpet, although the total absence of major Hollywood studios in the official competition drew attention. A triumph for auteur cinema. 🏆
The technical engine behind the realism of Fjord 🎥
To achieve the rawness of real events, Mungiu chose to shoot with full-frame sensor digital cameras and anamorphic lenses from the 1970s, sacrificing modern sharpness in favor of a grainy texture. The sound team used ambient microphones without post-production, capturing the wind and water of the fjord in real time. The sequence shots, up to 12 minutes long, required rigorous blocking of actors and a portable LED lighting system to maintain lighting continuity outdoors. A production challenge for a modest budget.
Hollywood absent: studios preferred streaming and sushi 🍣
While Mungiu took home the big prize, Hollywood executives watched from their yachts on the French Riviera, wondering if it was worth competing without explosions or superheroes. The absence of major studios in the official selection left paparazzi photographing actors from digital platform series. In the end, the only real drama was watching a California producer trying to explain why his $200 million film didn't make it into the official section.