Jennifer Lawrence sparks awards buzz at Cannes for 'Die, My Love'

The Cannes Film Festival has long been a launchpad for awards-season favourites, and this year may be no different. Jennifer Lawrence’s visceral turn in Lynne Ramsay’s Die, My Love has already ignited early Oscar talk.

The film, adapted from Ariana Harwicz’s 2017 novel, follows Grace (Lawrence), a new mother whose psychological descent is both harrowing and deeply human. Set in a decaying countryside home she shares with her husband (played by Robert Pattinson), Die, My Love is a feverish exploration of postpartum depression, marital isolation and emotional unravelling. It premiered over the weekend to a packed audience, marking one of the most anticipated screenings at Cannes.

Ramsay, known for her uncompromising approach in films like Ratcatcher and You Were Never Really Here, delivers another intense and unsettling piece. This time, her lens focuses on motherhood and the loss of self, wrapped in a hallucinatory atmosphere that veers between haunting stillness and bursts of violence. The result is a disorienting portrait of a woman on the edge.

For Lawrence, the role struck a particularly personal chord.

“I had just had my firstborn,” said the 34-year-old actor at a press conference on Sunday. “There’s not really anything like postpartum. It’s extremely isolating. She [Grace] doesn’t have a community or her people. But extreme anxiety and depression — they’re isolating no matter who you are or where you are. You feel like an alien.”

Lawrence, a mother of two, admitted it was difficult to separate herself from the character. “It was really hard to distinguish between what I would do and what Grace would do,” she shared. “But that blurring actually helped me dig deeper.”

The performance has already led to widespread acclaim, drawing comparisons to some of her most celebrated roles. Lawrence has received four Academy Award nominations in the past and won Best Actress for Silver Linings Playbook in 2013. Her Cannes appearance has now put her squarely in the conversation for a fifth nomination.

The production itself came together in an unexpected but organic way. Lawrence, long an admirer of Ramsay’s work, took the initiative to reach out.

“I’ve wanted to work with Lynne Ramsay since I saw Ratcatcher,” she said. “I just thought, ‘There’s no way she’ll do this.’ But we took a chance and sent her the script. And I still can’t believe I’m here with her.”

The gamble paid off. Not only did the film premiere in competition for the Palme d’Or, but it also secured one of the biggest deals of the festival. On Sunday, Mubi acquired distribution rights in the US and several other territories for a reported $24 million.

Lawrence wasn’t the only cast member drawing on new parenthood for inspiration. Pattinson, who recently became a father with partner Suki Waterhouse, also reflected on how becoming a parent had altered his perspective.

“Having a baby gives you the biggest trove of energy and inspiration,” he said, before being mockingly interrupted by Lawrence: “You get energy?!”

Pattinson grinned and replied, “This question is impossible for a guy to answer correctly,” prompting laughter from the room.

Both actors agreed that parenthood has changed their approach to their craft.

“Having children changes everything,” Lawrence said. “It’s brutal and incredible. I didn’t know I could feel so much. My job has a lot to do with emotion, and they’ve opened up the world to me. It’s like I’m walking around with no skin — everything feels more raw.”

Whether Die, My Love will follow the Cannes-to-Oscar trajectory remains to be seen. But for now, Lawrence’s searing performance has left an undeniable impression on the Croisette — and quite possibly on the awards circuit ahead.