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Anyone surprised that ELEPHANT won the biggie at Cannes? Maybe the French should worry more about why girls are being set on fire in Parisian slums?
Van Sant Wins Top Cannes Award for 'Elephant'
40 minutes ago
By Catherine Bremer
CANNES, France (Reuters) - Gus Van Sant (news) won the Cannes film
festival (news - web sites)'s coveted Palme d'Or award Sunday for
"Elephant," a film that enters the lives of actual U.S. students to see how
they cope with shootings and violence at school.
The prize was a long-awaited triumph for the U.S.
director who has won plaudits in Hollywood with
films like "Good Will Hunting" and "To Die For,"
but had yet to win over the arthouse-loving critics
of the French Riviera.
Van Sant was also awarded the prize for best
direction.
"I thought I was finished," an emotional Van Sant
told the star-studded awards ceremony audience,
as he was called back up to the stage for the top
prize.
"I've been trying to get my films to Cannes for
years, and this time, it's wonderful to receive
such a prize. To win is miraculous and fortunate
and lucky," he added.
"Elephant" uses non-actor children from Van
Sant's home town of Portland, Oregon to paint an
impressionistic picture of everyday high school life that turns suddenly to
tragedy.
It comes a year after Michael Moore (news) was lauded at Cannes for his
probing documentary "Bowling for Columbine," which also examined
America's gun culture and high-school shootings....
Van Sant Wins Top Cannes Award for 'Elephant'
40 minutes ago
By Catherine Bremer
CANNES, France (Reuters) - Gus Van Sant (news) won the Cannes film
festival (news - web sites)'s coveted Palme d'Or award Sunday for
"Elephant," a film that enters the lives of actual U.S. students to see how
they cope with shootings and violence at school.
The prize was a long-awaited triumph for the U.S.
director who has won plaudits in Hollywood with
films like "Good Will Hunting" and "To Die For,"
but had yet to win over the arthouse-loving critics
of the French Riviera.
Van Sant was also awarded the prize for best
direction.
"I thought I was finished," an emotional Van Sant
told the star-studded awards ceremony audience,
as he was called back up to the stage for the top
prize.
"I've been trying to get my films to Cannes for
years, and this time, it's wonderful to receive
such a prize. To win is miraculous and fortunate
and lucky," he added.
"Elephant" uses non-actor children from Van
Sant's home town of Portland, Oregon to paint an
impressionistic picture of everyday high school life that turns suddenly to
tragedy.
It comes a year after Michael Moore (news) was lauded at Cannes for his
probing documentary "Bowling for Columbine," which also examined
America's gun culture and high-school shootings....