The 74th Cannes Film Festival is drawing to a close, leaving a trail of buzzworthy films and memorable performances along the iconic Croisette in the French Riviera. While there may not be many groundbreaking titles for Oscar consideration this year, some movies have caught the attention of the audience and critics alike, making the competition exciting.

Led by president Greta Gerwig, the main competition jury, which includes renowned names like J.A. Bayona, Ebru Ceylan, Pierfrancesco Favino, Lily Gladstone, Eva Green, Hirokazu Kore-eda, Nadine Labaki, and Omar Sy, is set to announce the winners on Saturday.

While Jacques Audiard's Spanish-language musical "Emilia Pérez" seemed like a front-runner for the prestigious Palme d'Or, the tide shifted on Friday when Mohammad Rasoulof's "The Seed of the Sacred Fig" garnered overwhelming positive reactions on social media. The film received the longest-standing ovation of the festival, lasting an impressive 12 minutes. An awards publicist even hailed it as the only serious contender for the best picture category at the festival.

The Palme d'Or, the festival's top prize, has historically had mixed success as a predictor for Oscar glory. Notable winners like Roman Polanski's "The Pianist" (2002), Terrence Malick's "The Tree of Life" (2011), Michael Haneke's "Amour" (2012), Bong Joon-ho's "Parasite" (2019), Ruben Östlund's "Triangle of Sadness," and "Anatomy of a Fall" from Justine Triet have received best picture nominations. However, only "Parasite" and "Marty" (1955) have matched the Academy's ultimate choice. If either Jacques Audiard or Francis Ford Coppola were to win the Palme d'Or this year, they would become the first three-time winners in Cannes history, though the odds may favor Audiard more.

Apart from the top prize, several acting contenders have emerged from this year's Cannes Film Festival. Demi Moore's performance in Coralie Fargeat's body-horror film "The Substance" has generated significant buzz, potentially launching an awards campaign for the veteran star. Yorgos Lanthimos' "Kinds of Kindness" is expected to divide audiences, but it showcases noteworthy performances from Emma Stone, Willem Dafoe, and Jesse Plemons.

While it is difficult to predict the exact breakdown of awards, it is important to note that the winner of the Palme d'Or is not eligible for any additional prizes, as per Cannes' long-standing policy.

The anticipation continues to build as the Cannes Film Festival reaches its climax, and the industry awaits the announcement of this year's well-deserved winners.