The Queer Palm is Japanese this year. And it’s Monstersigned Hirokazu Kore-eda, who was awarded it Friday evening by the hands of the American actor and director John Cameron Mitchell, the president of the jury.
This new film by the Japanese director, awarded gold with A family matter in 2018, begins as a drama about school bullying, told from multiple points of view. Its plot evolves towards a relationship of very close friendship, even love, sketched out between two young students and filmed with great modesty, recalling in certain aspects Closethe film by Belgian Lukas Dhont in competition at Cannes last year. Monster opened the competition last Wednesday.
For this alternative award, which since 2010 takes precedence over the best LGBT, queer or feminist film, among all the festival selections, Monster was in competition with a dozen films, including Anatomy of a fall by Justine Triet who, for her part, won the Palme Dog.
In 2022, the Queer Palm was awarded to the Pakistani feature film joyland. And in 2021 to The divide by Catherine Corsini.