The Cannes Film Festival is coming to an end with 21 competing for the big prize, the Palme D'Or. The award is the equivalent to the Oscar for film. The winner of the Palme D'Or usually goes on to be internationally recognized and also gets a lot of buzz and awards at the end of the year.

The winner will join such prestigious films as "Taxi Driver," "The Pianist," "Blue is the Warmest Color," "Rosetta" and most recently "Deephan."

Predictions

So which film will win this year? Competition is tough but one film has fascinated critics and audiences alike. The film is Marien Ade's "Toni Erdmann." The comedy is one of the few laugh-out-loud films to premiere at the festival and one that is also among the longest in competition. If the film is to win, it would be the second time a women's feature wins the Palme D'Or and would also represent one of the few German films to win the award. However, the jury may not give the film the award because Ade is young and the film is her third. In the past few years, the jury has been awarding veteran filmmakers.

For example, last year most of the critics believed "Son of Saul" would go home with the Palme D'Or. However, the film lost to "Deephan," which was received with mixed reception and which also screened late in the festival.

This is where Andrea Arnold or Jim Jarmusch have better shots at the Palme D'Or. Arnold has competed before with "Fish Tank" and walked away with second prize. Her film "American Honey" was praised by most critics and was hailed as a favorite.

Jarmusch received praise for his intimate drama "Paterson." However, generally Palme D'Or winners have big messages and big themes and this film could be seen as too small. However, don't count Adam Driver out of the Best Actor race.

Jeff Nichols' film "Loving" received unanimous praise but most critics pinned it as an Oscar contender. Nichols, like Arnold and Jarmusch, has competed at the festival so this could very well be an opportunity for the jury to award him.

Asghar Farhadi's "The Salesman" had the honors of closing the competition slate. The director is beloved internationally and his film "The Past" received an award a few years back. Perhaps Farhadi, who was a late competition entry, can surprise and win.

Repeat Winners

However, it is important not forget about previous winner Cristian Mungiu and Ken Loach. Both filmmakers have gotten praise for their latest efforts. Mungiu's "Graduation" was hailed for its intensity and many state that he could be up for his second Palme D'or. Meanwhile Loach's "I, Daniel Blake" was called his most poignant in years.

Underdogs

There is also room for underdogs particularly in a competition that is always unpredictable and subjective to the tastes of a select few. Cristi Puiu's "Sieranevada" or Kleber Mendonca Filho's "Aquarius" were beloved but have not received the same buzz other films have obtained.

Films that will likely go home empty-handed include Pedro Almdovar's 'Julieta," Xavier Dolan's "It's only the End of the World" and Nicole Garcia's "Mal de Pierres."

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