While many expected Hollywood faces like Kristen Stewart and Scarlett Johansson to dominate the Un Certain Regard category at Cannes this year, the honours went elsewhere. Chilean filmmaker Diego Céspedes stunned the jury and audience alike by winning the top prize with The Mysterious Gaze of the Flamingo, his debut feature rooted in queer identity, fear, and survival during the AIDS crisis in 1980s Chile.
Set in a dusty mining town, the story follows young Lidia, who grows up in a tight-knit transgender community. As rumours spread that an unknown illness can be passed between men through eye contact, fear and prejudice threaten her chosen family. Céspedes’ film mixes myth, social tension, and innocence, offering viewers a powerful look at how marginalised people navigate suspicion and stigma.
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While the film divided critics, with some calling its pacing uneven, the jury praised its raw emotion and unpredictability. Céspedes accepted the award with visible emotion, saying the film began “with all the angry lovers who just wanted to love like everybody else.”
This year’s Un Certain Regard jury was led by British filmmaker Molly Manning Walker, who herself won this prize in 2023 and included names from across Europe and Latin America. They chose works that didn’t shy away from discomfort, moral ambiguity, or political urgency.
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The Jury Prize went to A Poet, a Colombian dark comedy about an ageing writer who tries to mentor a gifted teenager from a poor background. The film explored the blurred line between inspiration and manipulation with quiet unease.
Directing honours were awarded to Palestinian brothers Tarzan and Arab Nasser for Once Upon a Time in Gaza, a gripping drama about two young men caught in crime and conflict during Hamas’ rise to power in 2007. Their emotional speech touched on the current devastation in Gaza, dedicating the award to their people.
Actor awards went to Cléo Diara for her commanding role in the 3.5-hour postcolonial drama I Only Rest in the Storm, and British actor Frank Dillane for Urchin, a gritty look at homelessness in London. Diara’s speech included a strong call: “Free Palestine.” Dillane, quieter but just as heartfelt, dedicated his win to “those on the margins.”
Chilean film The Mysterious Gaze of the Flamingo wins top Cannes prizeIMDB
Best Screenplay was awarded to British director Harry Lighton for Pillion, a powerful queer romance involving a BDSM relationship between bikers. Lighton cheekily thanked his team for stopping him from relocating the film to Ancient Rome at the last minute.
This year’s Cannes proved that raw, honest storytelling still triumphs over star power.
