A few days ago we posted the trailer for Robin Campillo’s 120 Beats Per Minute, which was screening in competition at the Cannes Film Festival. Well, the viewers in the French city certainly liked the movie, as while it missed out of the Palm d’Or (which went to the controversial The Square), it picked up the second biggest award at the fest, the Gran Prix. The jury was presided over by out Spanish director Pedro Almodovar.
It also picked up the Queer Palm, for the best LGBT movie, as well as the prestigious Fipresci award for the best film at the festival from the International Federation of Film Critics. Reviews have been almost universally positive, with many already hailing it as a new gay classic.
Here’s the synopsis: ‘Early 1990s. With AIDS having already claimed countless lives for nearly ten years, Act up-Paris activists multiply actions to fight general indifference. Nathan, a newcomer to the group, has his world shaken up by Sean, a radical militant, who throws his last bits of strength into the struggle.’
The movie is based around director Robin Capillo’s own experiences with the activist group, and is told in docudrama style.
You can take a look at the full list of winners in the main competition at Cannes below:
Main Competition Winners
Palme d’Or: Ruben Östlund – The Square
Gran Prix: Robin Campillo – 120 Beats Per Minute
Jury Prize: Andrey Zvyagintsev – Loveless
Best Director: Sofia Coppola – The Beguiled
Best Actor: Joaquin Phoenix – You Were Never Really Here
Best Actress: Diane Kruger – In the Fade
Best Screenplay: Yorgos Lanthimos – The Killing of a Sacred Deer, Lynne Ramsay – You Were Never Really Here
Camera d’Or: Léonor Sérraille – Jeune Femme
Short Film Palme d’Or: Qiu Yang – A Gentle Night
Special 70th Anniversary Award: Nicole Kidman
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