Argentine director Federico Luis wins Cannes Palme d’Or for short film

Argentine filmmaker Federico Luis won the Short Film Palme d’Or at the Cannes Film Festival on Saturday for his film Para los contrincantes ("For The Opponents").

The short film follows Damián López, a young boy who dreams of becoming Mexico’s boxing champion, as he faces a pivotal fight in a tournament that doubles as a harsh lesson in growing up.

Spanish director Carla Simón, who presided over the jury, said the award was granted unanimously.

“We award the Palme d’Or to a film that shows the soul of a child facing his first lesson in life,” Simón said while presenting the prize.

“It is a film that reminds us that growing up also means learning how to lose, but continuing forward.”

Accepting the award, Luis said it was “truly wonderful” to be in Cannes, though he acknowledged the difficult global backdrop surrounding the celebration.

“It is also a little bittersweet knowing that, right now, extremely cruel things are happening in the world,” the Argentine director said.

“Very few people may care about what a small Argentine has to say, but thank you very much to all the important people here tonight in the Lumière theatre for raising your voices and spreading the word,” he added.

It is not the first time Luis has been recognised at Cannes. In 2024, he picked up an award during Critics’ Week for his debut feature Simón de la montaña, a film centred on the friendship between a young man and a group of people with intellectual disabilities.

– TIMES/AFP