Un Certain Regard Winners: 'The Red Turtle' & 'The Happiest Day' Honored At Cannes

The winners for the Un Certain Regard competition at the Cannes Film Festival were announced today with “The Happiest Day in the Life of Olli Mäki” directed by Juho Kuosmanen nabbing the top prize of the night.

“Thank you for your weird taste in cinema,” the director said upon receiving the award. “I am so surprised and happy.”

The black and white feature is based on the true story of the Finnish boxer Olli Mäki and his highly hyped 1962 championship match against the American featherweight champion Davey Moore. The film follows Olli as he unexpectedly falls in love and becomes more committed to pursuing a budding romance than training for his greatest fight.

READ MORE: ‘The Happiest Day in the Life of Olli Mäki’ Trailer And Poster Shows The Inspiring Boxer Falling In Love

The Jury Prize went to Japanese writer-director Kôju Fukada’s “Harmonium,” about a man released from prison who causes havoc on the family of an old acquaintance.

The Best Director prize went to Matt Ross for his film “Captain Fantastic” starring Vigggo Mortensen. The story follows a father who’s raised six children in the forests of the Pacific Northwest. When his wife dies, the family leaves the woods to attend the funeral and must learn how to assimilate into society.

READ MORE: ‘Captain Fantastic’ Trailer: Viggo Mortensen Isolates His Family For Love — Watch

Delphine and Muriel Coulin took home the award for Best Screenplay for their film “The Stopover.” The feminist military drama is adapted from Delphine’s novel “Voir du pays,” which traces the tensions between two servicewomen returning from a tour of duty in Afghanistan.

The Special Jury Prize when to “The Red Turtle” by Michaël Dudok de Wit. The immaculate film was considered one of the most beautiful features to arrive at the festival. The French-Japanese animated movie tells the story of a man shipwrecked at sea who becomes stranded on a deserted island inhabited by turtles, crabs and birds. He learns to live in isolation, until he comes upon a woman lost at sea and begins a life with her.

READ MORE: ‘The Red Turtle’ Trailer: Studio Ghibli Returns With A Mesmerizing Silent Film

The complete list of winners:



Un Certain Regard Prize: Juho Kuosmanen, “The Happiest Day in the Life of Olli Maki”

Jury Prize: Kôji Fukada, “Harmonium”

Best Director: Matt Ross, “Captain Fantastic”

Best Screenplay: Delphine and Muriel Coulin, “The Stopover”

Special Jury Prize: Michaël Dudok de Wit, “The Red Turtle”



READ MORE: ‘Wolf and Sheep’ Beats ‘Neruda’ for Top Honors at Directors’ Fortnight Awards at Cannes

Earlier in the day the Fipresci Prizes were also announced, honoring Maren Ade’s German comedy “Toni Erdmann,” about a woman and her prank-loving father, with the Competition prize. “Dogs” (Caini) by Romanian helmer Bogdan Miraca received the nomination for the Un Certain Regard section and for the sidebar sections of Directors’ Fortnight/Critics Week, the cannibal film “Raw,” directed by Julia Ducournau, received the prize for a first film.

The top prizes for the main selections will be handed out on Sunday night during the closing ceremony at the Palais des Festivals in Cannes.

Watch the mesmerizing trailer for “The Red Turtle” below:



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