The Associated Press

· Posted: May 23, 2026 6:33 PM EDT | Last Updated: 2 hours ago

Cristian Mungiu's Norway-set drama about political polarization, Fjord, has won the Palme d'Or, handing the Cannes Film Festival's top honour for the second time to Mungiu, the Romanian director of 4 Months, 3 Weeks and 2 Days.

At a 79th Cannes Film Festival that saw few films cause a stir, Fjord found wide admiration for its engrossing tale of what Mungiu called "left-wing fundamentalism."

It stars Sebastian Stan and Renate Reinsve as Romanian evangelicals who move to Norway, but soon after have their children taken from them by child services over spanking.

"Today the society is split. It's divided. It's radicalized," said Mungiu.

"This film is a pledge against any type of fundamentalism. It's a pledge for these things we quote very often, like trauma and inclusion and empathy. These are lovely words but we need to apply them more often."

Mungiu becomes just the 10th filmmaker to win the Palme d'Or twice. His 4 Months, 3 Weeks and 2 Days, a Romanian abortion drama, won the award in 2007.

The win for Fjord extends one of the movies' most extraordinary streaks. Neon, the specialty label, has now taken seven Palme d'Or winners in a row.

Fjord adds to its unparalleled run, including last year's champion, Jafar Panahi's It Was Just an Accident, and the 2024 winner, Anora. The latter went on to win best picture at the Oscars.