Sean Baker’s film “Anora” took home the prestigious Palme d’Or at the Cannes Film Festival on May 25.

The festival, notable for celebrating artistic achievements in film-making and serving as a platform to showcase new films of all genres, including documentaries, from around the globe, was held in Grand Lumière Theatre in Cannes, France.

The Palme d’Or, which translates to “Golden Palm” in English, is the highest prize awarded at the Cannes Film Festival. Introduced in 1955, it honours the best film in the festival’s official competition.

This Brooklyn-based film, a unique mix of comedy and drama, tells the tale of a sex worker who ties the knot with the son of a wealthy Russian oligarch.

 For Baker, known for his hit “The Florida Project,” this win is a massive achievement. It also marks the fifth consecutive Palme d’Or for the film distributor Neon.

“My people, this has been my dream as a filmmaker for the past 30 years,” Baker, 53, said, laughing in his acceptance speech. 

He is the first American director to win the Palme since Terrence Malick’s 2012 victory with “The Tree of Life.” 

Baker stressed the need to keep the cinema experience alive, saying, “The future of cinema is where it started: in a movie theatre.”

The jury, headed by the talented filmmaker Greta Gerwig, commended “Anora” for its classic cinema feel, likening it to the works of Ernst Lubitsch and Howard Hawks. Gerwig mentioned that being part of the jury had forever changed her perspective as a film-maker.

While “Anora” was a strong contender, its victory came as a bit of a surprise. 

Many had their eyes on the gentle Indian drama “All We Imagine As Light” or the Iranian film “The Seed of the Sacred Fig” to scoop the top prize. Both films, however, did not leave empty-handed. 

“All We Imagine As Light,” a touching story about sisterhood in modern Mumbai, won the Grand Prix, Cannes’ second-highest honour. 

This made director Payal Kapadia the first Indian film-maker in competition at Cannes in 30 years. Meanwhile, Mohammad Rasoulof’s “The Seed of the Sacred Fig,” a drama filmed secretly in Iran, received a special jury prize.

The closing ceremony had another big moment with George Lucas receiving an honorary Palme d’Or. Francis Ford Coppola, his longtime friend and collaborator, showed up to present the award, creating a touching reunion.

 Coppola, who premiered his self-financed sci-fi epic “Megalopolis” earlier at the festival, called Lucas his “kid brother,” while Lucas described Coppola as a “big friend, brother, and mentor.”

In the acting categories, the best actress award went in a surprising direction, honouring an ensemble cast. Karla Sofía Gascón, Zoe Saldaña, Selena Gomez, and Adriana Paz for their roles in Jacques Audiard’s “Emilia Perez,” a Spanish-language musical about a Mexican drug lord who transitions to a woman. Gascón, the first trans actor to win a major prize at Cannes, accepted the award for the group, dedicating it to those fighting for their rights.

Best actor was awarded to Jesse Plemons for his role in Yorgos Lanthimos’ “Kinds of Kindness,” a film that tells three stories with the same set of actors. Plemons, known for his outstanding performance, was not present at the ceremony.

Portuguese director Miguel Gomes bagged the best director prize for “Grand Tour,” a historical journey set in Asia in 1917. The Camera d’Or for the best first feature was awarded to Norwegian director Halfdan Ullmann Tøndel for “Armand,” starring Renate Reinsve. 

Tøndel’s victory adds to the legacy of his famous grandparents, Swedish filmmaker Ingmar Bergman and Norwegian actor Liv Ullman.

The Cannes Film Festival remains a vital event for the film industry, where art, commerce, and glamour converge to celebrate and promote the finest in cinema from around the world.