A Man of Integrity, an Iranian film with an anti-corruption theme wins Un certain regard

The 2017 Cannes Film Festival awards began on Saturday 27th May, leading up to the  Palm Awards on Sunday. The Festival's Un certain regard, (A Particular View) section gave its top prize to an Iranian film, out of 18 films from 22 countries. 

Lerd, A Man of Integrity, a 2017 film by Iranian Mohamed Rasoulof wins the Un certain regard competition at the Cannes Film Festival Divulgação

Led by US actress Uma Thurman the Un certain regard jury decided to award their top prize to Germany-based Iranian director Mohamed Rasoulof for his film, Lerd.

A Man of Integrity, as the film is called in English, this is Rasoulof's third film in selection at Cannes. He was prevented from attending Cannes in 2011 when his film Goodbye was selected because he had been arrested along with fellow film maker, Jafar Panahi.  In A Man of Integrity, the hero played by Reza Akhlaghirad, is an urban intellectual who moves with his family to the countryside and is ruined because he tries to resist intimidation from an influential land-grabbing neighbour, and widespread corruption.

Like in his previous films Rasoulof who was briefly jailed seven years ago in Terhran denounces corruption and oppression across society.

The Un certain regard jury award went to Michel Franco for Las Hirjas de Abril, April's Daughter, a film about a woman who encroaches on her children's lives in a bid to remain young and relevant after the 17 year-old becomes pregnant. The mother is played by Emma Soares who starred in last year's Julieta, made by Cannes Palm Awards Jury chair, Spanish director, Pedro Almodvar.

French director and actor Mathieu Amalric won the Un certain regard prize for the Best Poetic Narrative, for his eponymously named film about the French singer, Barbara which was chosen as theopening film in the section.Amalric himself acted in the 2017 Festival opening film, Ismael's Ghost, directed by Arnaud Desplechin.

Taylor Sheridan, a US director from Palestine in Texas won the Best Director award for Wind River.

Jasmine Trinca won best actress fo rher role in Fortunata by Italian Sergio Castellitto.

Six of the films in the Un certain regard section are also in the running for the Camera d'Or award for the best first feature-length film in all the Festival's sections, in and out of competition, as well as those in the Director's Fortnight and the Critic's Week. The Golden Camera is announced on Sunday 28th May, like the most prestigious Golden Palm award, and this year particularly precious because diamond-studded.

In the meantime, the Ecumenical Jury chose Hikari (English title Radiance)by Japanese director Naomi Kawase, and the jury of the International Film Critics Association, Fipresci, awarded their prize this year to 120 Beats per Minute by French director Robin Campillo.