Ruben Östlund, president of the jury of the 76th Cannes Film Festival, expressed his support for the Hollywood screenwriters’ strike, a stance shared by other panel members. Östlund, who has won two Palme d’Or awards at the festival, stated that he finds it great that people come together for a collective cause and go on strike. He affirmed his definite support for the strike during a press conference.
The screenwriters’ strike began on May 3 after collective negotiations with major Hollywood studios failed. Paul Dano, an American actor and director who is also part of the Cannes jury, expressed his support for the strike. Dano, who is married to actress and screenwriter Zoe Kazan, mentioned that he would join the strike when he returns to the United States after the festival.
The strike is being carried out by thousands of screenwriters demanding better salary conditions in an industry that has been deeply impacted by the rise of streaming platforms.
The Cannes jury, which includes Argentine director Damián Szifrón, will officially start their work on Wednesday and announce their verdict on Saturday, May 27th.
Östlund commented that when directing a jury, he tries to create an atmosphere where people don’t feel the need to appear smart all the time. He expressed the opinion that nobody should be afraid to express their opinion and that if everyone on the jury tried to seem intellectual and smarter than others, they would be mistaken.
The 49-year-old Swedish director also mentioned that the highest award at Cannes is the most important in the world and that if he had to choose between an Oscar and a Palme d’Or, his choice would be clear.