The 2016 Queer Palm is awarded to…
Sebastien Lifshitz’s documentary « Les vies de Thérèse »
AND THE SHORT « GABBER LOVER », DIRECTED BY ANNA CAZENAVE-CAMBET (CINEFONDATION)
Statement of the Jury
Cannes, May 21th, 2016.
Heads of the Jury : Oliver Ducastel and Jacques Martineau, filmmakers
Members of the Jury : Emilie Brisavoine, filmmaker, Joao Federici, director of the MixBrasil festival, Marie Sauvion, journalist (Marie-France, « Le Cercle » on Canal+)
This year, the films selected at Cannes testify of the diversity of womanhood – with their strong, independent, different, and subversive characters.
They fundamentally speak of women’s desires – a topic that has for so long been denied representation and has been considered as taboo.
These movies – maybe because it was Cannes’ 69
th edition, also displayed a lot of cunnilingus. The Jury of the Queer Palm unanimously wants to thank the directors who have participated in the promotion of this sexual act – far more satisfying to watch than the quick and macho coituses that have been the quite sad standards in sexual representation.These beautiful women at the festival helped us remembering that we must always fight, that we must constantly confront ourselves, others, and society, in order to build our own path.
After a great deal of discussion, the Jury has decided unanimously to award the Queer Palm to two films that illustrate how two women – one in her teens, the other one on the verge of death– have struggled and succeeded to shape their own life.
The Short Queer Palm is awarded to Gabber Lover
, by Anna Cazenave-Cambet.Gabber Lover
is a delicate film in which the director acutely displays her own social and intimate struggles. It is a coming out film, one in which we learn to face our own desires and to free ourselves. We truly believe Gabber Lover will be a source of inspiration and will empower the youngsters.The Feature-length Queer Palm is awarded to
Sébastien Lifshitz’s Les Vie de Thérèse.
In awarding the Queer Palm to
Les Vies de Thérèse, the Jury has decided to pay homage to two souls. The Queer Palm is thus awarded to Sébastien Lifshitz and his moving film – centered around the struggle of a woman, intertwining her private life with her political fights, crossing across times and questioning the roles imposed by society. The resolutely tender gaze Sébastien Lifshitz casts on this woman is a loving one – one that pays homage, yet at a distance – thus fully doing justice to Thérèse’ political fights on the verge of her death.The Queer Palm is also awarded to
Thérèse Clerc, who died on February, 16th 2016 – thus honouring a woman who, in carving her own path, opened up the way for our contemporary fights and reminded us relentlessly that our sexuality can and should both nourish our political fights and guide our commitment to a better society.
The Jury is thus delighted to award, for the first time, the Queer Palm to a documentary – one that will mark the cinematographic canon.
