Cannes 2010: Apichatpong Weerasethakul’s Uncle Boonmee Claims Palme d’Or

In a weak competition year such as this one, Apichatpong Weerasethakul’s Uncle Boonmee claiming the Palme d’Or isn’t that much of a surprise as everyone might think it to be. Of the two screenings I saw with the jury as part of the audience, the first thing I did was take a look at Tim Burton’s reaction.

Once the lights opened post-opening credits for Uncle Boonmee Who Can Recall His Past Lives, I could have sworn that Burton’s face had a from one creator of iconic film creatures to another glow. Here the Thai director creates a trio of memorable figures in one film: lost siblings, ghost monkeys and fish. I thought Certified Copy had the edge, but I’m pleased that the Weerasethakul took the big prize — what I can assure you is that the first half hour of the film is gold, but I think that where it goes after a certain fish in water scene is about to debate, and in my case a 2nd viewing. The North American premiere should be at the Toronto Film Festival. Big congrats goes to The Match Factory folks and to low budget Asian cinema.