Cannes: Cate Blanchett, Rooney Mara Drama ‘Carol’ Wins Queer Palm Award

Award goes to a festival film that deals with LGBT issues; “The Lobster” receives special mention

Rooney Mara and Cate Blanchett in Carol
The Weinstein Company

Todd Haynes‘ “Carol” has been named the winner of the 2015 Queer Palm award, a prize given to a Cannes film that deals with LGBT issues.

“Carol,” which is adapted from a Patricia Highsmith novel and stars Cate Blanchett and Rooney Mara as two women who fall in love in early 1950s New York, is by far the highest-profile film at this year’s festival to deal with gay and lesbian themes.

It is also one of the most acclaimed films at the festival, and a strong contender for the Palme d’Or, which will be announced on Sunday.

Also read: A Look at Cannes Sensation ‘Carol’: This Is Where Gay Rights Began, in Part

“‘Carol’ is both a beautiful miniature and a majestic romance; it’s set 60 years in the past, but it’s for now,” wrote TheWrap after its Cannes debut on May 16.

Yorgos Lanthimos’ “The Lobster” received a special mention from the jury.

Queer Palm organizers singled out a number of Cannes films to compete for the prize. In addition to “Carol,” contenders included “Marguerite & Julien” from the main competition; “Amy” and “Love” screening out of competition: “Dope,” “Much Loved” and “Mustang” from Directors’ Fortnight; “Les Deux Amis” and “The Wakhan Front” from International Critics’ Week; and “De l’ombre il y a” and “Pauline s’arrache” from the Association for the Diffusion of Independent Cinema (ACID) showcase.

Also read: Cannes Review: ‘The Lobster’ Takes Colin Farrell to Funny, Surreal Hotel

The Queer Palm award was founded in 2010 by journalist Franck Finance-Madureira. Past winners include Gregg Araki’s “Kaboom,” Oliver Hermanus’ “Beauty,” Xavier Dolan‘s “Laurence Anyways,” Alain Guiraudie’s “Stranger by the Lake” and Matthew Warchus’ “Pride.”

See exclusive stories and pictorials from TheWrap Magazine: Cannes Edition:

Isabelle Huppert (Sandro Baebler)
Sandro Baebler

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