Winners and losers at Cannes' first weekend
CANNES, France — The all-important first weekend of the 68th Cannes Film Festival has come to a close, with a host of Hollywood stars walking the famed red carpet in the South of France.
A look at the winners and losers so far at the film industry's most glamorous festival:
WINNER: Charlize and Sean
Mad Max: Fury Road rolled into town and became an instant festival hit. When star Charlize Theron brought along her boyfriend Sean Penn to walk down the red carpet at Thursday night's premiere, it all went to another level.
Penn tried to stay out of the way. But urged on by photographers, Theron skipped over and grabbed her guy to show him off to the world. Mayhem ensued.
WINNER: Woody Allen
Allen's appearance here Friday shows how deep the French love is for the 79-year-old director and Cannes regular. Allen was at his morose best showing off his new film Irrational Man, which received mostly positive reviews.
It was all raves for his deadpan-hilarious media conference that covered everything from his fears about his upcoming Amazon TV project ("I expect this to be a cosmic embarrassment") to his downbeat view on life itself ("You're living a meaningless life. Everything you create or do is going to vanish").
His visit was woven in with moments of mirth, or death "distractions" as Allen called them. During his walk down the gala premiere red carpet, he playfully pretended to step on his star Emma Stone's long gown.
WINNER: 'Carol'
Todd Haynes' competition drama was the hottest ticket on the famed Cannes Croisette. Starring Cate Blanchett and Rooney Mara as secret lovers, it's based on Patricia Highsmith's 1952 novel, The Price of Salt.
Critics swooned at initial screenings, with The Hollywood Reporter stating simply, "Cate and Rooney rule." The audience roared "Bravo!" at Sunday's gala premiere. The strong response sets up the Weinstein Company film perfectly for an awards-friendly December release date.
WINNER: 'Son of Saul'
Hungarian first-time feature film director László Nemes rocked the festival with this Holocaust drama featuring Géza Röhrig as a Jewish prisoner who survives Auschwitz by assisting the Nazis in cremating the bodies.
Pete Hammond, awards columnist for Deadline.com, says the film is on the Cannes award track.
"It's unrelenting and powerful," says Hammond. "And Röhrig has an extraordinary performance of very few words."
LOSER: Selfies crackdown
Festival director Thierry Frémaux sought to cut down on the number of selfies taken on the famed Cannes red carpet, calling them "ridiculous and grotesque." His comments seemed to only remind people to take more.
One unidentified man was captured by the cameras as he took a selfie with Allen and wife Soon-Yi Previn at the premiere of Irrational Man. Allen clearly wasn't happy; Stone at least posed for her forced shot.
LOSER: Matthew McConaughey
McConaughey smiled as he received applause at the premiere of the Gus Van Sant drama The Sea of Trees. But it came after critics booed during initial screenings of the film, which has McConaughey's character seeking to kill himself in Japan's "Suicide Forest."
Variety critic Scott Foundas tweeted that the film was "one for nobody." Not the kind of start the 2014 best-actor Oscar winner might have wanted for his ambitious drama.