The 2017 Cannes Film Festival was brought to an end on Sunday, May 28. The glamorous closing gala served as the ceremony to crown the best films and performances seen during the past two weeks.

The festival, which began on Wednesday, May 17, recognized the best executions and talents during its last night.

After some tough competition, due to several standing ovations for films like ‘The Meyerowitz Stories’ from director Noah Baumbach, and Netflix’s ‘Okja.’ The festival’s top honor of the Palme d’Or was given to ‘The Square.’ Swedish director Ruben Östlund’s movie was a jury favorite. Director Pedro Almodovar, who chaired the festival’s jury this year, described ‘The Square’ as a “rich and completely contemporary story about the dictatorship of being politically correct.” The film is a satirical comedy starring Dominic West and Elisabeth Moss.

Sofia Coppola made history by becoming the second-ever female director to win the Best Director prize for her film ‘The Beguiled.’  A remake of the 1971 Clint Eastwood film of the same name. The first female director to accomplish this was Russian, Yuliya Solntseva in 1961. Who won for her film about Nazi resistance in the Soviet Union, ‘Chronicle of Flaming Years.’

In her acceptance speech, Coppola thanked Jane Campion, creator of ‘Top of the Lake: China Girl’ and director of ‘Bright Star.’ Till date, she remains the only woman in the festival’s history to win the Palme d’Or. She earned the award in 1993 for ‘The Piano.’

Joaquin Phoenix couldn’t believe that he won Best Actor

When Joaquin Phoenix was named Best Actor, his reaction was priceless. The actor was so shocked and confused it was actually cute. Well, at first he really did not understand that he had won. All he could hear was a French indecipherable speech and his name in between. If it wasn’t for the camera that panned over him, he wouldn’t have realized. “Do I have to go up there?” he asked his girlfriend Rooney Mara.

He eventually made it to the stage to accept the award for his acclaimed work in Lynne Ramsay’s ‘You Were Never Really Here.’ In which he played Joe, an ex-military who attempts to rescue young girls from sex trafficking rings. The actor won over equally acclaimed Adam Sandler, for ‘The Myerowitz Stories,’ and Robert Pattinson in ‘Good Time.’

Diane Kruger took home the award for Best Actress for ‘In The Fade.’ While actress Nicole Kidman received the 70th edition Special Prize, but Will Smith accepted it on her behalf. The actress had four different projects going on simultaneously at this year’s festival: Coppola’s ‘The Beguiled,’ Campion’s ‘Top of the Lake: China Girl,’ Yorgos Lanthimos’ ‘Killing of a Sacred Deer,’ and John Cameron Mitchell’s ‘How To Talk To Girls At Parties.’

Among the other winners, there is Robin Campillo, who won the Grand Prix for ‘120 Beats Per Minute,’ Andrey Zvyagintsev, who received the Jury Prize for ‘Loveless.’ And the Best Screenplay award was shared by Lanthimos’ ‘Killing of a Sacred Deer’ and Lynne Ramsay’s ‘You  Were Never Really Here.’

An overview of the festival

The by invitation only festival saw some really special moments throughout its ten days. Filled with emotions, fun times and even an homage to the Manchester attack victims.

Ten days of tears and laughter

Sooner on later, everyone got tears in their eyes. For example, during the press conference for Wonderstruck, there was not a single person that could hold their emotions back. Especially when the child actors said how much they’d learned from their adult co-stars, and vice-versa. The premiered of the film saw some tears as well.

Also, the comedy-drama ‘The Meyerowitz Stories’ left actors, director Noah Baumbach and most of the audience weeping when the lights turned on after the premiere.

Even the red carpet saw some tears. Kirsten Dunst couldn’t help but cry on the red carpet for the premiere of ‘The Beguiled.’ Co-star Elle Fanning and director Sofia Coppola consoled her and smiled to reveal they were tears of happiness.

On the other side, some brightened up the festival by making people laugh. Like Will Smith, who apparently can’t help but be hilarious. Even on the opening day of the festival, the actor sparked some laughter at the jury press conference, with references to the ‘Fresh Prince of Bel-Air.’

On the day of the awards, when Smith went onstage to receive the Special Prize on behalf of Nicole Kidman. The actor joked about what Kidman would have done if she was there. “In my mind, [her speech] would have been something like,” and the he pretended to cry, right before adding, “Merci beaucoup Madame and monsieurs!”

Will smith imitating how nicole kidman would receive her 70th anniversary award lmao pic.twitter.com/35c1MuA68R

— ㅤ (@blutjeans) May 28, 2017

Earlier on, during the press conference of ‘The Killing of the Sacred Deer,’ Lanthimos told the cast his dark thriller was a comedy. Colin Farrell laughed out loud and said that Lanthimos is “messed up.”

Honoring the Manchester attack victims

When the news of the horrific terrorist attack that took place at Manchester Arena on Monday 22 arrived at the Cannes – which already had a high-security protocol –, the festival got into a darker tone. Stars and journalist felt sympathy and solidarity towards the victims, even joining the minute’s silence that took place around the world.

The festival described the attempt as an attack “on culture, youth, and joyfulness, on our freedom, generosity, and tolerance, all things that the festival and those who make it possible – the artists, professionals, and spectators – hold dear.”