Some breaking news. Japanese filmmaker Naomi Kawase’s “The Mourning Forest” (”Mogari no Mori”) as been awarded the Grand Prize at this year’s Cannes Film Festival. You can see the official announcement on the Cannes site, which also contains the following plot description.

Shigeki lives in a small retirement home. He feels comfortable and happy here with the other residents and the gentle and caring hospital staff. Machiko, one of the home’s staff pays special attention to him. However she is secretly haunted by the loss of her child. After celebrating Shigeki’s birthday Machiko decides to take him for a drive in the countryside. Making their way along the scenic back-roads the car is forced into a ditch by a land-slide and it is here that they embark on their journey of discovery together. As Shigeki determinedly heads off into the forest, Machiko has no choice but to follow. After two exhausting days trudging through the dense wood they finally arrive at Shigeki’s wife’s tomb.