Cristian Mungiu has achieved a rare feat in cinema, claiming his second Palme d’Or at the 79th Cannes Film Festival for his complex moral drama “Fjord.” This prestigious win places the Romanian writer-director among an exclusive group of filmmakers to have received the coveted award twice, 19 years after his initial victory for “4 Months, 3 Weeks and 2 Days” in 2007. The victory also marks a historic seventh consecutive top prize from the Croisette for U.S. distributor Neon, extending a remarkable streak that began with Bong Joon Ho’s “Parasite” in 2019 and includes other celebrated films like “Titane” and “Anatomy of a Fall.”

“Fjord” represents a significant departure for Mungiu, being his first film shot in English and Norwegian rather than his native Romanian. The film, starring Sebastian Stan and Renate Reinsve, delves into the intricate story of a Romanian family of Evangelical Christians entangled in a child abuse case within the Norwegian social system. Critics were divided on its merits and sociopolitical allegiances, yet its inherent discussability likely contributed to its appeal for the jury. Variety’s Guy Lodge noted that despite its new setting, “Fjord” feels immediately connected to Mungiu’s