In 2019 Bong Joon Ho’s Parasite won the Palme d’Or at the Cannes Film Festival, the first jewel in a spectacular crown of awards success that culminated in a Best Picture Oscar. Last week, Julia Ducournau’s Titane was celebrated as the Palme d’Or winner at the 2021 Cannes Film Festival. Will the French feature translate into success at the Oscars? “Not so fast,” says Variety’s Clayton Davis, pointing out that Parasite’s journey to an Oscar was very much an aberration.
The parasite was the first Palme d’Or winner since 1955 to go on to win the Best Picture Oscar, and the first since 2012 even to be nominated by the Academy. Some have said that the international flair and artistic leanings at Cannes can act as an opposite pole to the Hollywood sensibilities of most Academy Members. Given the nature of this particular French film, which tells the story of a serial killer who develops a romantic relationship with his car, Titane seems destined to appeal only to a niche audience.