Posted on Monday, 23rd May 2011 by Declan Palazzi
CANNES, France Austin director Terrence Malick became the first Texan ever to win the top prize, the Palme dOr, at the Cannes Film Festival on Sunday, for his ambitious, cosmic The Tree of Life.
The movie centers on a family in 1950s Waco, includes about a 20-minute segment that focuses on the birth of the universe and has been called a Texan 2001, a reference to Stanley Kubricks 2001: A Space Odyssey.
Malick, who does not make public appearances, did not show up at the Palais to accept the award, but two of his producers did. He remains notoriously, infamously shy but quite humble, said producer Bill Pohlad.
When the movie premiered Monday, it received a mixed reaction from the press, but support for the film, which was made in Smithville and Austin, has been growing in recent days. It stars Brad Pitt, Jessica Chastain and Sean Penn.
Penn also starred in Italian director Paolo Sorrentinos The Tree of Life, but it was shut out of the major awards.
Two movies shared the grand prize, or the second-place award. The Kid With the Bike, by Belgiums Dardenne brothers, shared the prize with Nuri Bilge Ceylans Once Upon a Time in Anatolia, an operatic but soporific look at a Turkish crime.
Best actress was a suprise. It went to Kirsten Dunst, the star of Lars von Triers Melancholia. Dunst seemed shocked Sunday night, and noted that it had been quite a week, a reference to the Danish directors controversial remarks about Hitler during a Cannes press conference.
Best actor went to Jean Dujardin, who played a fading but charming silent film star in The Artist.
Best director went to Denmarks Nicolas Winding Refn for Drive, starring Ryan Gosling.
Best screenplay went to Joseph Cedar of Israel for his drama about Talmudic scholarship, Footnote.
Tags: Austin Director, Life, Palme Dor
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