Lars Von Trier made waves last week at Cannes Film Festival when he suggested that he could sympathize with Adolph Hitler in an ill-advised attempt to mess with reporters, but Kirsten Dunst, the star of his new movie, Melancholia caused a stir for the right reasons.
Kirsten's performance in the strange new movie about (among other things) the end of the world, was widely praised by critics at the festival, where she was awarded with the Best Actress Award on Sunday. The actress showed off her elegant little golden palm branch as the festival drew to a close, smiling brightly as she brandished the award.
This is the first time since 1993 that an American actress has been awarded with the "Prix d'interprétation féminine," when Holly Hunter won for her performance in The Piano.