This has been one of the strongest selections in years, with crowd-pleasers like “Leto” and fully-accomplished films like “Dogman” making an impression on festival-goers. The addition of press screenings to the schedule grid, better organized secured access to the Palais also helped make this seventy-first edition of the Cannes Festival an exceptional one.

The jury annoyed and frustrated me by giving Jean-Luc Godard some made-up prize they’ve decided to call, Palme D’Or spéciale. Now, what on earth could this be all about? Ms. Blanchett’s awkward attempt at paying Monsieur Godard some kind of lifetime award? It’s not her place, nor the time, to do so, in my opinion. More to the point, it steal Koreeda’s thunder, his moment of glory interrupted.

Cannes is a strange and bewitching alchemy that makes us all a little crazy, for eleven days out of the year, at least. And the jury has ruled. Homage is paid to its members, the men and women, under the leadership of Cate Blanchett, whose task was made all the more difficult by the quality of the films being presented.

The complete selection is:

Palme d’Or

“Shoplifters,” by Koreeda Hirokazu

Grand Prix

“BlacKKKlansman,” Spike Lee

Jury Prize

“Capharnaum,” Nadine Labaki

Palme D’Or Spéciale

Jean-Luc Godard, Le Livre d’Image

Best Actor

Marcello Fonte, “Dogman”

Best Director

Pawel Pawlikowski, Cold War

Best Actress

Samal Yeslyamova, Ayka (dir. Sergey Dvortsevoy)

Best Screenplay

Alice Rohrwacher (Happy As Lazzaro) shared with Jafar Panahi & Nader Saeivar (3 Faces)

Palme d’Or for a short film

Charles Williams, All These Creatures

Camera d’Or

Lukas Dhont, Girl