SFF Official Competition Contender Takes Out Cannes Coveted Palme d’Or

May 24, 2010 13:05

The coveted principal prize at Cannes Film Festival – the Palme d'Or – has been awarded to 'Uncle Boonmee Who Can Recall His Past Lives' by the Thai director Apichatpong Weerasethakul. The film’s Australian premiere in Sydney Film Festival’s Official Competition, on Wednesday 9 June 6.30pm at the State Theatre will be the first festival screening in the world following its win at Cannes.

Charlotte Gainsbourg, the lead actress of the Cannes closing film, 'The Tree' which also screens in SFF Official Competition, presented the award to Apichatpong Weerasethakul. He declared: “This Palme is very important for the history of Thailand and the Thai people.” He thanked, “the spirits and ghosts of Thailand” who allowed him to be where he was today, as well as his parents, who, 30 years ago took him to a small cinema.

Australian short film director Ariel Kleiman’s 'Deeper Than Yesterday' was also awarded Kodak Discovery Award for Best Short Film at Critics’ Week in Cannes. 'Deeper Than Yesterday' is one of seven films in the running for Best Live Action Short Film in SFF’s Dendy Awards for Australian Short films and screens Friday 11 June 7pm at Event Cinemas George Street.

SFF Festival Director Clare Stewart, speaking from Sydney said: “Their respective wins in Cannes mean that the contest in SFF’s Official Competition and Dendy Awards for Australian Short films just got a whole lot hotter!”

For more information, visit www.sff.org.au

Contact details:

Location: Sydney (NSW)

Contact: Sydney Film Festival

Click here to visit the website