![Cannes vu du Suquet](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/09/Cannes_vu_du_Suquet.JPG)
The Cannes Festival (; french: link=no, Festival de Cannes), until 2003 called the International Film Festival (') and known in English as the Cannes Film Festival, is an annual
film festival
A film festival is an organized, extended presentation of films in one or more cinemas or screening venues, usually in a single city or region. Increasingly, film festivals show some films outdoors. Films may be of recent date and, depending upon ...
held in
Cannes
Cannes ( , , ; oc, Canas) is a city located on the French Riviera. It is a communes of France, commune located in the Alpes-Maritimes departments of France, department, and host city of the annual Cannes Film Festival, Midem, and Cannes Lions I ...
, France, which previews new films of all genres, including
documentaries
A documentary film or documentary is a non-fictional motion-picture intended to "document reality, primarily for the purposes of instruction, education or maintaining a historical record". Bill Nichols has characterized the documentary in term ...
, from all around the world. Founded in 1946, the invitation-only festival is held annually (usually in May) at the
Palais des Festivals et des Congrès
The Palais des Festivals et des Congrès (''Palace of Festivals and Conferences'') is a convention centre in Cannes, France, the venue for the Cannes Film Festival, the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity and the NRJ Music Award. Th ...
. The festival was formally accredited by the
FIAPF
The FIAPF (Fédération Internationale des Associations de Producteurs de Films; en, International Federation of Film Producers Associations), created in 1933, is an organization composed with 36 member associations from 30 of the leading audio ...
in 1951.
On 1 July 2014, co-founder and former head of French pay-TV operator
Canal+
Canal+ (Canal Plus, , meaning 'Channel Plus'; sometimes abbreviated C+ or Canal) is a French premium television channel launched in 1984. It is 100% owned by the Groupe Canal+, which in turn is owned by Vivendi. The channel broadcasts several ki ...
,
Pierre Lescure
Pierre Lescure (born 2 July 1945) is a French journalist and television executive. He is known for having founded the French TV music show ''Les Enfants du rock'' broadcast on public television from 1981 to 1988 and for having led the French Cana ...
, took over as President of the Festival, while
Thierry Frémaux
Thierry Frémaux (; born 29 May 1960) is the director of the Institut Lumière, of the Lumière Film Festival and of the Cannes Film Festival.
Education and career
Frémaux has a '' diplôme d'études approfondies'' (equivalent to a Master of Ad ...
became the General Delegate. The board of directors also appointed Gilles Jacob as Honorary President of the Festival.
It is one of the "Big Three" major European film festivals, alongside the
Venice Film Festival
The Venice Film Festival or Venice International Film Festival ( it, Mostra Internazionale d'Arte Cinematografica della Biennale di Venezia, "International Exhibition of Cinematographic Art of the Venice Biennale") is an annual film festival he ...
in
Italy
Italy ( it, Italia ), officially the Italian Republic, ) or the Republic of Italy, is a country in Southern Europe. It is located in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea, and its territory largely coincides with the homonymous geographical re ...
and the
Berlin International Film Festival
The Berlin International Film Festival (german: Internationale Filmfestspiele Berlin), usually called the Berlinale (), is a major international film festival held annually in Berlin, Germany. Founded in 1951 and originally run in June, the festi ...
in
Germany
Germany,, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It is the second most populous country in Europe after Russia, and the most populous member state of the European Union. Germany is situated betwe ...
, as well as one of the "Big Five" major international film festivals, which consists of the three major European film festivals, the
Toronto International Film Festival
The Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF, often stylized as tiff) is one of the largest publicly attended film festivals in the world, attracting over 480,000 people annually. Since its founding in 1976, TIFF has grown to become a permane ...
in
Canada
Canada is a country in North America. Its ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, covering over , making it the world's second-largest country by tot ...
, and the
Sundance Film Festival
The Sundance Film Festival (formerly Utah/US Film Festival, then US Film and Video Festival) is an annual film festival organized by the Sundance Institute. It is the largest independent film festival in the United States, with more than 46,66 ...
in the
United States
The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territorie ...
.
History
The early years
![Note Cannes 1939](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/5a/Note_Cannes_1939.jpg)
The Cannes Film Festival has its origins in 1938 when
Jean Zay, the
French Minister of National Education, on the proposal of high-ranking official and historian Philippe Erlanger and film journalist Robert Favre Le Bret decided to set up an international cinematographic festival. They found the support of the Americans and the British.
Its creation can be largely attributed to the French desire to compete with the
Venice Film Festival
The Venice Film Festival or Venice International Film Festival ( it, Mostra Internazionale d'Arte Cinematografica della Biennale di Venezia, "International Exhibition of Cinematographic Art of the Venice Biennale") is an annual film festival he ...
, which at the time was the only international film festival and had shown a lack of impartiality with its
fascist
Fascism is a far-right, Authoritarianism, authoritarian, ultranationalism, ultra-nationalist political Political ideology, ideology and Political movement, movement,: "extreme militaristic nationalism, contempt for electoral democracy and pol ...
bias during those years. The political interference seemed evident in the 1937 edition when
Benito Mussolini
Benito Amilcare Andrea Mussolini (; 29 July 188328 April 1945) was an Italian politician and journalist who founded and led the National Fascist Party. He was Prime Minister of Italy from the March on Rome in 1922 until his deposition in 194 ...
meddled to ensure that French pacifist film ''
La Grande Illusion
''La Grande Illusion'' (also known as ''The Grand Illusion'') is a 1937 French war film directed by Jean Renoir, who co-wrote the screenplay with Charles Spaak. The story concerns class relationships among a small group of French officers who ar ...
'' would not win.
The last straw was in the 1938 event when Mussolini and
Adolf Hitler
Adolf Hitler (; 20 April 188930 April 1945) was an Austrian-born German politician who was dictator of Nazi Germany, Germany from 1933 until Death of Adolf Hitler, his death in 1945. Adolf Hitler's rise to power, He rose to power as the le ...
respectively overruled the jury's decision in order to award the ''
Coppa Mussolini'' (Mussolini Cup) for the Best film to Italian war film ''
Luciano Serra, Pilot
''Luciano Serra, Pilot'' (Italian: ''Luciano Serra pilota'') is a 1938 Italian war drama film directed by Goffredo Alessandrini and starring Amedeo Nazzari, Germana Paolieri and Roberto Villa.
It was screened at the Venice Film Festival in Au ...
'', produced under the supervision of Mussolini's son, and the ''Coppa Mussolini'' for the Best foreign film to ''
Olympia'', a German
documentary film
A documentary film or documentary is a non-fictional film, motion-picture intended to "document reality, primarily for the purposes of instruction, education or maintaining a Recorded history, historical record". Bill Nichols (film critic), Bil ...
about the Berlin
1936 Summer Olympics
The 1936 Summer Olympics (German: ''Olympische Sommerspiele 1936''), officially known as the Games of the XI Olympiad (German: ''Spiele der XI. Olympiade'') and commonly known as Berlin 1936 or the Nazi Olympics, were an international multi-sp ...
produced in association with the
Nazi Ministry of Public Enlightenment and Propaganda despite the fact that the regulations at that time prohibited awarding a documentary.
Outraged by the decision and as a measure of protest, the French, British, and American jury members decided to withdraw from the festival with the intention of not returning.
This snub encouraged the French to found a free festival. Thus, on May 31, 1939, the city of
Cannes
Cannes ( , , ; oc, Canas) is a city located on the French Riviera. It is a communes of France, commune located in the Alpes-Maritimes departments of France, department, and host city of the annual Cannes Film Festival, Midem, and Cannes Lions I ...
was finally selected as the location for the festival over
Biarritz and the town hall along with the French government signed the International Film Festival's official birth certificate with the name of ''Le Festival International du Film''.
The reason for deciding Cannes was because of its touristic appeal as a
French Riviera
The French Riviera (known in French as the ; oc, Còsta d'Azur ; literal translation " Azure Coast") is the Mediterranean coastline of the southeast corner of France. There is no official boundary, but it is usually considered to extend fro ...
resort town and also because the city hall offered to increase the municipality's financial participation, including the commitment of building a dedicated venue for the event. The first edition was planned to be held from 1 to 20 September 1939 in an auditorium at the Municipal Casino and
Louis Lumière was going to be the honorary president. Its aim was "encouraging the development of all forms of cinematographic art and foster a spirit of collaboration between film-producing countries".
Hollywood stars of the moment like
Gary Cooper
Gary Cooper (born Frank James Cooper; May 7, 1901May 13, 1961) was an American actor known for his strong, quiet screen persona and understated acting style. He won the Academy Award for Best Actor twice and had a further three nominations, a ...
,
Cary Grant
Cary Grant (born Archibald Alec Leach; January 18, 1904November 29, 1986) was an English-American actor. He was known for his Mid-Atlantic accent, debonair demeanor, light-hearted approach to acting, and sense of comic timing. He was one o ...
,
Tyrone Power
Tyrone Edmund Power III (May 5, 1914 – November 15, 1958) was an American actor. From the 1930s to the 1950s, Power appeared in dozens of films, often in swashbuckler roles or romantic leads. His better-known films include ''Jesse James'', ' ...
,
Douglas Fairbanks Jr.,
Mae West
Mae West (born Mary Jane West; August 17, 1893 – November 22, 1980) was an American stage and film actress, playwright, screenwriter, singer, and sex symbol whose entertainment career spanned over seven decades. She was known for her breezy ...
,
Norma Shearer
Edith Norma Shearer (August 11, 1902June 12, 1983) was a Canadian-American actress who was active on film from 1919 through 1942. Shearer often played spunky, sexually liberated ingénues. She appeared in adaptations of Noël Coward, Eugene O'N ...
,
Paul Muni,
James Cagney
James Francis Cagney Jr. (; July 17, 1899March 30, 1986) was an American actor, dancer and film director. On stage and in film, Cagney was known for his consistently energetic performances, distinctive vocal style, and deadpan comic timing. He ...
,
Spencer Tracy
Spencer Bonaventure Tracy (April 5, 1900 – June 10, 1967) was an American actor. He was known for his natural performing style and versatility. One of the major stars of Hollywood's Golden Age, Tracy was the first actor to win two cons ...
, and
George Raft arrived thanks to an
Ocean liner chartered by MGM (
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios Inc., also known as Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures and abbreviated as MGM, is an American film, television production, distribution and media company owned by amazon (company), Amazon through MGM Holdings, founded o ...
). On 31 August, the opening night gala took place with the private screening of the American film ''
The Hunchback of Notre Dame
''The Hunchback of Notre-Dame'' (french: Notre-Dame de Paris, translation=''Our Lady of Paris'', originally titled ''Notre-Dame de Paris. 1482'') is a French Gothic novel by Victor Hugo, published in 1831. It focuses on the unfortunate story ...
'' starring
Charles Laughton and
Maureen O'Hara and directed by
William Dieterle
William Dieterle (July 15, 1893 – December 9, 1972) was a German-born actor and film director who emigrated to the United States in 1930 to leave a worsening political situation. He worked in Cinema of the United States, Hollywood primarily a ...
. The next day, on 1 September, German troops
invaded Poland. As a result, the festival was postponed for 10 days and it would be resumed if the circumstances allowed it.
However, the situation only worsened and on 3 September, France and the United Kingdom declared war against Germany, sparking the
Second World War
World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...
. The French government ordered a general mobilization and this prevented the festival from continuing so it was finally cancelled.
In 1946, the festival was relaunched and from 20 September to 5 October 1946, twenty-one countries presented their films at the
First Cannes International Film Festival, which took place at the former Casino of Cannes. In 1947, amid serious problems of efficiency, the festival was held as the "Festival du film de Cannes", where films from sixteen countries were presented. The festival was not held in 1948 and 1950 due to budgetary problems.
In 1949, the ''
Palais des Festivals
Palais () may refer to:
* Dance hall, popularly a ''palais de danse'', in the 1950s and 1960s in the UK
* ''Palais'', French for palace
** Grand Palais, the Grand Palais des Champs-Elysées
**Petit Palais, an art museum in Paris
* Palais River in ...
'' was expressly constructed for the occasion on the seafront promenade of La Croisette, although its inaugural roof, while still unfinished, blew off during a storm. In 1951, the festival was moved to spring to avoid direct competition with the Venice Festival which was held in autumn.
1950s and 1960s
During the early 1950s, the festival attracted much tourism and press attention, with showbiz scandals and high-profile personalities' love affairs. At the same time, the artistic aspect of the festival started developing. Because of controversies over the selection of films, the Critics' Prize was created for the recognition of original films and daring filmmakers. In 1954, the
Special Jury Prize was awarded for the first time. In 1955, the
Palme d'Or
The Palme d'Or (; en, Golden Palm) is the highest prize awarded at the Cannes Film Festival. It was introduced in 1955 by the festival's organizing committee. Previously, from 1939 to 1954, the festival's highest prize was the Grand Prix du Fe ...
was created, replacing the ''
Grand Prix
Grand Prix ( , meaning ''Grand Prize''; plural Grands Prix), is a name sometimes used for competitions or sport events, alluding to the winner receiving a prize, trophy or honour
Grand Prix or grand prix may refer to:
Arts and entertainment ...
du Festival'' which had been given until that year. In 1957,
Dolores del Río was the first female member of the jury for the official selection.
In 1959, the ''
Marché du Film
The ''Marché du Film'' (french for "Film Market") is one of the largest film markets in the world.[Marc ...](_blank)
'' (Film Market) was founded, giving the festival a commercial character and facilitating exchanges between sellers and buyers in the film industry. Today it has become the first international platform for film commerce. Still, in the 1950s, some outstanding films, like ''
Night and Fog
''Nacht und Nebel'' (German: ), meaning Night and Fog, was a directive issued by Adolf Hitler on 7 December 1941 targeting political activists and resistance "helpers" in the territories occupied by Nazi Germany during World War II, who were to ...
'' in 1956 and ''
Hiroshima, My Love'' in 1959 were excluded from the competition for diplomatic concerns.
Jean Cocteau
Jean Maurice Eugène Clément Cocteau (, , ; 5 July 1889 – 11 October 1963) was a French poet, playwright, novelist, designer, filmmaker, visual artist and critic. He was one of the foremost creatives of the su ...
, three times president of the jury in those years, is quoted to have said: "The Cannes Festival should be a no man's land in which politics has no place. It should be a simple meeting between friends."
In 1962, the
International Critics' Week
The International Critics' Week (french: Semaine de la Critique) was founded in 1962 and is organized by the French Syndicate of Cinema Critics. It was created following the showing of '' The Connection'' directed by Shirley Clarke which had been ...
was born, created by the
French Union of Film Critics as the first parallel section of the Cannes Film Festival. Its goal was to showcase first and second works by directors from all over the world, not succumbing to commercial tendencies. In 1965
Olivia de Havilland
Dame Olivia Mary de Havilland (; July 1, 1916July 26, 2020) was a British-American actress. The major works of her cinematic career spanned from 1935 to 1988. She appeared in 49 feature films and was one of the leading actresses of her time. ...
was named the first female president of the jury, while the next year
Sophia Loren
Sofia Costanza Brigida Villani Scicolone (; born 20 September 1934), known professionally as Sophia Loren ( , ), is an Italian actress. She was named by the American Film Institute as one of the greatest female stars of Classical Hollywood ci ...
became president.
The 1968 festival was halted on 19 May. Some directors, such as
Carlos Saura
Carlos Saura Atarés (born 4 January 1932) is a Spanish film director, photographer and writer. Along with Luis Buñuel and Pedro Almodóvar, he is considered to be one of Spain’s most renowned filmmakers. He has a long and prolific career th ...
and
Miloš Forman, had withdrawn their films from the competition. On 18 May filmmaker
Louis Malle
Louis Marie Malle (; 30 October 1932 – 23 November 1995) was a French film director, screenwriter, and producer who worked in both Cinema of France, French cinema and Cinema of the United States, Hollywood. Described as "eclectic" and "a fi ...
along with a group of directors took over the large room of the ''Palais'' and interrupted the projections in solidarity with
students and labour on strike throughout France, and in protest to the eviction of the then President of the
Cinémathèque Française
The Cinémathèque Française (), founded in 1936, is a French non-profit film organization that holds one of the largest archives of film documents and film-related objects in the world. Based in Paris's 12th arrondissement, the archive offers ...
. The filmmakers achieved the reinstatement of the President, and they founded the Film Directors' Society (SRF) that same year. In 1969 the SRF, led by Pierre-Henri Deleau created the
Directors' Fortnight
The Directors' Fortnight (french: Quinzaine des Réalisateurs) is an independent selection of the Cannes Film Festival. It was started in 1969 by the French Directors Guild after the events of May 1968 resulted in cancellation of the Cannes festiv ...
(''Quinzaine des Réalisateurs''), a new non-competitive section that programs a selection of films from around the world, distinguished by the independent judgment displayed in the choice of films.
1970s and 1980s
During the 1970s, important changes occurred in the Festival. In 1972, Robert Favre Le Bret was named the new president, and Maurice Bessy the General Delegate. He introduced important changes in the selection of the participating films, welcoming new techniques, and relieving the selection from diplomatic pressures, with films like
''MASH'', and later ''
Chronicle of the Years of Fire
''Chronicle of the Years of Fire'' ( ar, وقائع سنين الجمر, Waqāʾiʿu sinīna l-jamri; french: Chronique des Années de Braise; these names both mean "Chronicle of the Years of Embers") is a 1975 Algerian drama historical film dire ...
'' marking this turn. In some cases, these changes helped directors like
Andrei Tarkovsky overcome problems of censorship in their own country. Also, until that time, the different countries chose the films that would represent them in the festival. Yet, in 1972, Bessy created a committee to select French films, and another for foreign films.
In 1978, Gilles Jacob assumed the position of General Delegate, introducing the
Caméra d'Or
The Caméra d'Or ("''Golden Camera''") is an award of the Cannes Film Festival for the best first feature film presented in one of the Cannes' selections (Official Selection, Directors' Fortnight
The Directors' Fortnight (french: Quinzaine des ...
award, for the best first film of any of the main events, and the
Un Certain Regard
(, meaning 'a certain glance') is a section of the Cannes Film Festival's official selection. It is run at the Debussy, parallel to the competition for the . This section was introduced in 1978 by Gilles Jacob.
The section presents 20 films w ...
section, for the non-competitive categories. Other changes were the decrease of length of the festival down to thirteen days, thus reducing the number of selected films; also, until that point the Jury was composed by Film Academics, and Jacob started to introduce celebrities and professionals from the film industry.
In 1983, a new, much bigger
Palais des Festivals et des Congrès
The Palais des Festivals et des Congrès (''Palace of Festivals and Conferences'') is a convention centre in Cannes, France, the venue for the Cannes Film Festival, the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity and the NRJ Music Award. Th ...
was built to host the festival, while the Directors' Fortnight remained in the old building. The new building was nicknamed "The Bunker", provoking much criticism, especially since it was hardly finished at the event and several technical problems occurred. In 1984 Pierre Viot replaced Robert Favre Le Bret as President of the Festival. In his term, the Festival started including films from more countries, like Philippines, China, Cuba, Australia, India, New Zealand and Argentina. In 1987, for the first time of the Festival, a red carpet was placed at the entrance of the Palais. In 1989, during the first Cinéma & liberté forum, hundred directors from many countries signed a declaration "against all forms of censorship still existing in the world".
1990s to present
In 1998, Gilles Jacob created the last section of the Official Selection: la
Cinéfondation
La ''Cinéfondation'' is a foundation under the aegis of the Cannes Film Festival, created to inspire and support the next generation of international filmmakers.
It was created in 1998 by Gilles Jacob. Since then it has developed complementary ...
, aiming to support the creation of works of cinema in the world and to contribute to the entry of the new scenario writers in the circle of the celebrities. The Cinéfondation was completed in 2000 with ''La Résidence'', where young directors could refine their writing and screenplays, and in 2005, ''L'Atelier'', which helps twenty directors per year with the funding of their films. Gilles Jacob was appointed Honorary President in 2000, and in 2002, the Festival officially adopted the name ''Festival de Cannes''.
During the 2000s, the Festival started focusing more on the technological advances taking place in the film world, especially the digital techniques. In 2004, the restored historical films of the Festival were presented as ''Cannes Classics'', which included documentaries. In 2007, Thierry Frémaux became General Delegate. In 2009, he extended the Festival in Buenos Aires, as ''La Semana de Cine del Festival de Cannes'', and in 2010, he created the ''Cannes Court Métrage'' for the Short Film competition.
On 20 March 2020, organizers announced the postponement of the Cannes Film Festival 2020 due to the
COVID-19 pandemic
The COVID-19 pandemic, also known as the coronavirus pandemic, is an ongoing global pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The novel virus was first identif ...
; the festival was later cancelled outright. Spike Lee, director of ''
Do The Right Thing
''Do the Right Thing'' is a 1989 American comedy-drama film produced, written, and directed by Spike Lee. It stars Lee, Danny Aiello, Ossie Davis, Ruby Dee, Richard Edson, Giancarlo Esposito, Bill Nunn, John Turturro, and Samuel L. Jackson, a ...
'' and ''
BlacKkKlansman
''BlacKkKlansman'' is a 2018 American biographical black comedy crime thriller film directed by Spike Lee and written by Charlie Wachtel, David Rabinowitz, Kevin Willmott and Lee, based on the 2014 memoir ''Black Klansman'' by Ron Stallworth. ...
'', had been chosen to lead the jury panel. In 2019, the jury panel had been led by
Alejandro González Iñárritu
Alejandro González Iñárritu (; American Spanish: ; credited since 2016 as Alejandro G. Iñárritu; born 15 August 1963) is a Mexican filmmaker and screenwriter. He is primarily known for making modern psychological drama films about the hu ...
, director of ''
Birdman''. Lee was later invited to head the jury of the
2021 Cannes Film Festival, held in July of that year.
In 2022, the festival denied press
accreditation
Accreditation is the independent, third-party evaluation of a conformity assessment body (such as certification body, inspection body or laboratory) against recognised standards, conveying formal demonstration of its impartiality and competence to ...
to Russian journalists associated with outlets who are not opposed to the ongoing
Russo-Ukrainian war
The Russo-Ukrainian War; uk, російсько-українська війна, rosiisko-ukrainska viina. has been ongoing between Russia (alongside Russian separatist forces in Donbas, Russian separatists in Ukraine) and Ukraine since Feb ...
. On the opening night of the festival, the president of Ukraine,
Volodymyr Zelensky
Volodymyr Oleksandrovych Zelenskyy, ; russian: Владимир Александрович Зеленский, Vladimir Aleksandrovich Zelenskyy, (born 25 January 1978; also transliterated as Zelensky or Zelenskiy) is a Ukrainian politicia ...
, made a video appearance where he talked about the war and the role of cinema in it.
Controversies
In recent years, a number of gender and sexual controversies have surrounded the Cannes Film Festival. These include "Heelgate" in which numerous female attendees of a red carpet premiere were stopped from entering in 2015 for wearing flat soled shoes instead of
high heels
High-heeled shoes, also known as high heels, are a type of shoe with an angled sole. The heel in such shoes is raised above the ball of the foot. High heels cause the legs to appear longer, make the wearer appear taller, and accentuate the ...
. The incident caused numerous female celebrities to wear flat soled shoes or no shoes at all to other red carpet premiers in a show of solidarity and protest.
As a result of the past sexual controversies and the
MeToo movement that arose out of the
Harvey Weinstein scandal
In October 2017, ''The New York Times'' and ''The New Yorker'' reported that dozens of women had accused film producer Harvey Weinstein of rape, sexual assault and sexual abuse over a period of at least 30 years. Over 80 women in the film in ...
, in 2018, Cannes Film Festival officials announced the creation of a telephone hotline during the festival in which victims could report incidents of sexual harassment and other crimes. The hotline is in collaboration with the French government.
General Delegate
Thierry Frémaux
Thierry Frémaux (; born 29 May 1960) is the director of the Institut Lumière, of the Lumière Film Festival and of the Cannes Film Festival.
Education and career
Frémaux has a '' diplôme d'études approfondies'' (equivalent to a Master of Ad ...
reportedly 'banned' selfies on the red carpet of the festival in 2015.
In 2017, along with the 70th anniversary events of the Festival, the issue of changing the rules on theatrical screening caused controversy. In 2018, the enforcement of theatrical screening in France resulted in
Netflix
Netflix, Inc. is an American subscription video on-demand over-the-top streaming service and production company based in Los Gatos, California. Founded in 1997 by Reed Hastings and Marc Randolph in Scotts Valley, California, it offers a fil ...
withdrawing their films from the festival.
In films
There are at least twenty two films that premiered at Cannes which have garnered controversies, including boos and walkouts, some of which went on to receive the top honors of the festival. Included on that list are the following:
Scorsese's ''
Taxi Driver
''Taxi Driver'' is a 1976 American film directed by Martin Scorsese, written by Paul Schrader, and starring Robert De Niro, Jodie Foster, Cybill Shepherd, Harvey Keitel, Peter Boyle, Leonard Harris, and Albert Brooks. Set in a decaying and ...
'',
Lynch
Lynch may refer to:
Places Australia
* Lynch Island, South Orkney Islands, Antarctica
* Lynch Point, Marie Byrd Land, Antarctica
* Lynch's Crater, Queensland, Australia
England
* River Lynch, Hertfordshire
* The Lynch, an island in the River ...
's
''Wild at Heart'',
Cronenberg's ''
Crash
Crash or CRASH may refer to:
Common meanings
* Collision, an impact between two or more objects
* Crash (computing), a condition where a program ceases to respond
* Cardiac arrest, a medical condition in which the heart stops beating
* Couch su ...
'',
Weerasethakul's ''
Tropical Malady
''Tropical Malady'' (สัตว์ประหลาด RTGS: ''Satpralat''; lit. "monster") is a 2004 Thai romantic psychological drama art film written and directed by Apichatpong Weerasethakul. The film has a bifurcated structure; it is s ...
'',
Von Trier's
''Antichrist'',
Refn's ''
Drive
Drive or The Drive may refer to:
Motoring
* Driving, the act of controlling a vehicle
* Road trip, a journey on roads
Roadways
Roadways called "drives" may include:
* Driveway, a private road for local access to structures, abbreviated "drive"
...
'',
Malick's ''
The Tree of Life
''The'' () is a grammatical article in English, denoting persons or things already mentioned, under discussion, implied or otherwise presumed familiar to listeners, readers, or speakers. It is the definite article in English. ''The'' is the m ...
'', and
Assayas' ''
Personal Shopper
A personal shopper is a person who helps others shop by giving advice and making suggestions. They are often employed by department stores and boutiques, although some are freelance or work exclusively online. Their focus is usually on clothes, a ...
.''
Festival team
The President of the Festival, who represents the Festival in front of financial partners, the public authorities and the media, is elected by the board of directors of the Festival, officially named the "French Association of the Film Festival".
The Board is composed of authorities of the world of cinema, as well as of public authorities which subsidize the event. The President has a renewable 3-year mandate and appoints the members of his team, including the General Delegate, with the approval of the board of directors. Sometimes a President, after his last term, becomes the Honorary President of the Festival.
The General Delegate is responsible for the coordination of the events. When Gilles Jacob passed from General Delegate to the position of the President, in 2001, two new positions were created to take over his former post, the General Director to oversee the smooth running of the event, and the artistic director, responsible for the selection of films. However, in 2007, the Artistic Director
Thierry Frémaux
Thierry Frémaux (; born 29 May 1960) is the director of the Institut Lumière, of the Lumière Film Festival and of the Cannes Film Festival.
Education and career
Frémaux has a '' diplôme d'études approfondies'' (equivalent to a Master of Ad ...
, became again the General Delegate of the Festival.
The general secretary is responsible for the reception of works and other practical matters.
Programmes
The Cannes Film Festival is organised in various sections:
* The Official Selection – The main event of the festival.
** In Competition – The films competing for the
Palme d'Or
The Palme d'Or (; en, Golden Palm) is the highest prize awarded at the Cannes Film Festival. It was introduced in 1955 by the festival's organizing committee. Previously, from 1939 to 1954, the festival's highest prize was the Grand Prix du Fe ...
. They are projected in the ''Théâtre Lumière''.
**
Un Certain Regard
(, meaning 'a certain glance') is a section of the Cannes Film Festival's official selection. It is run at the Debussy, parallel to the competition for the . This section was introduced in 1978 by Gilles Jacob.
The section presents 20 films w ...
– Films selected from cultures near and far; original and different works. They are projected at the ''Salle Debussy''.
** Out of Competition – These films are also projected in the ''Théâtre Lumière'' but do not compete for the main prize.
** Special Screenings – The selection committee chooses for these films an environment specially adapted to their particular identity.
**
Cinéfondation
La ''Cinéfondation'' is a foundation under the aegis of the Cannes Film Festival, created to inspire and support the next generation of international filmmakers.
It was created in 1998 by Gilles Jacob. Since then it has developed complementary ...
– About fifteen shorts and medium-length motion pictures from film schools over the world are presented at the ''Salle Buñuel''.
** Short Films – The shorts competing for the
Short Film Palme d'Or are presented at Buñuel and Debussy theatres. There are approximately 10 films in this competition.
** Cannes Classics – It celebrates the heritage of film, aiming to highlight works of the past, presented with brand new or restored prints.
** Cinéma de la Plage – Screening of Cannes Classics and Out of Competition films for the mass public on Macé beach, preceded by a programme dedicated to film music.
* Parallel Sections – These are alternative programmes dedicated to discovering other aspects of cinema.
**
International Critics' Week
The International Critics' Week (french: Semaine de la Critique) was founded in 1962 and is organized by the French Syndicate of Cinema Critics. It was created following the showing of '' The Connection'' directed by Shirley Clarke which had been ...
– Since 1962, it has focused on discovering new talents and showcasing first and second feature films by directors from all over the world.
**
Directors' Fortnight
The Directors' Fortnight (french: Quinzaine des Réalisateurs) is an independent selection of the Cannes Film Festival. It was started in 1969 by the French Directors Guild after the events of May 1968 resulted in cancellation of the Cannes festiv ...
– Since 1969, it has cast its lot with the avant-garde, even as it created a breeding ground where the Cannes Festival would regularly find its prestigious auteurs.
** ACID (Association for Independent Cinema and its Distribution)
** Tous les Cinémas du Monde – It showcases the vitality and diversity of cinema across the world. Each day, one country is invited to present a range of features and shorts in celebration of its unique culture, identity and recent film works.
* Events
**
Marché du Film
The ''Marché du Film'' (french for "Film Market") is one of the largest film markets in the world.[Marc ...](_blank)
– The busiest film market in the world.
** Masterclasses – Given in public by world-renowned filmmakers.
** Tributes – Honors internationally renowned artists with the presentation of the Festival Trophee following the screening of one of their films.
** Producers Network – An opportunity to make international co-productions.
** Exhibitions – Each year, an artist, a body of work or a cinematographic theme becomes the focus of an exhibition that diversifies or illustrates the event's programme.
** 60th Anniversary – Events organised in 2007 dedicated to the 60th anniversary of the Festival.
Juries
Prior to the beginning of each event, the Festival's board of directors appoints the juries who hold sole responsibility for choosing which films will receive a Cannes award. Jurors are chosen from a wide range of international artists, based on their body of work and respect from their peers. The appointment of the President of the Jury is made following several annual management proposals made in the fall and submitted to the Festival's board of directors for validation.
* Feature Films – An international jury composed of a President and various film or art personalities, who determine the prizes for the feature films in Competition.
* Cinéfondation and Short Films – Composed of a President and four film personalities. It awards the Short Film Palme d'Or as well as the three best films of the Cinéfondation.
* Un Certain Regard – Composed of a President, journalists, students in cinema, and industry professionals. It awards the Un Certain Regard Prize for best film and can, moreover, honour two other films.
* Caméra d'Or – Composed of a President, as well as film directors, technicians, and French and international critics. They award the best film in any category.
The jury meets annually at the historic
Villa Domergue
The Villa Domergue is a historic mansion in Cannes. It was built in 1926 for painter Jean-Gabriel Domergue. The garden was designed from 1926 to 1936. The house was turned into a museum in honor of Domergue from 1962 to 1973, and it was subsequentl ...
to select the winners.
Awards
![Léa Seydoux Adèle Exarchopoulos Césars 2014](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/e3/L%C3%A9a_Seydoux_Ad%C3%A8le_Exarchopoulos_C%C3%A9sars_2014.jpg)
The most prestigious award given at Cannes is the
Palme d'Or
The Palme d'Or (; en, Golden Palm) is the highest prize awarded at the Cannes Film Festival. It was introduced in 1955 by the festival's organizing committee. Previously, from 1939 to 1954, the festival's highest prize was the Grand Prix du Fe ...
("Golden Palm") for the best film.
* Competition
**
Palme d'Or
The Palme d'Or (; en, Golden Palm) is the highest prize awarded at the Cannes Film Festival. It was introduced in 1955 by the festival's organizing committee. Previously, from 1939 to 1954, the festival's highest prize was the Grand Prix du Fe ...
– Golden Palm
**
Palme d'Or du court métrage
The Short Film Palme d'Or (french: Palme d'Or du court métrage) is the highest prize given to a short film at the Cannes Film Festival. Since the creation of the Cinéfondation
La ''Cinéfondation'' is a foundation under the aegis of the Cannes ...
– Best Short Film
**
Grand Prix
Grand Prix ( , meaning ''Grand Prize''; plural Grands Prix), is a name sometimes used for competitions or sport events, alluding to the winner receiving a prize, trophy or honour
Grand Prix or grand prix may refer to:
Arts and entertainment ...
– Grand Prize of the Festival
**
Prix du Jury – Jury Prize
**
Prix de la mise en scène
The Best Director Award (french: Prix de la mise en scène) is an award presented annually at the Cannes Film Festival since 1946. It is given for the best achievement in directing and is chosen by the International Jury from the films in the Co ...
– Best Director
**
Prix d'interprétation masculine – Best Actor
**
Prix d'interprétation féminine – Best Actress
**
Prix du scénario – Best Screenplay
* Other Sections
**
Prix Un Certain Regard
(, meaning 'a certain glance') is a section of the Cannes Film Festival's official selection. It is run at the Debussy, parallel to the competition for the . This section was introduced in 1978 by Gilles Jacob.
The section presents 20 films w ...
– Young talent, innovative and audacious works
**
Cinéfondation
La ''Cinéfondation'' is a foundation under the aegis of the Cannes Film Festival, created to inspire and support the next generation of international filmmakers.
It was created in 1998 by Gilles Jacob. Since then it has developed complementary ...
prizes – Student films
**
Caméra d'Or
The Caméra d'Or ("''Golden Camera''") is an award of the Cannes Film Festival for the best first feature film presented in one of the Cannes' selections (Official Selection, Directors' Fortnight
The Directors' Fortnight (french: Quinzaine des ...
– It rewards the best first film of the Festival, choosing among the debutants' works among the Official Selection, the Directors' Fortnight and the International Critics' Week selections.
* Given by Independent Entities
**
FIPRESCI Prize
The International Federation of Film Critics (FIPRESCI, short for Fédération Internationale de la PRESse CInématographique) is an association of national organizations of professional film critics and film journalists from around the world fo ...
– The International Federation of Film Critics awards prizes to films from the main competition section, Un Certain Regard and parallel sections
**
Directors' Fortnight
The Directors' Fortnight (french: Quinzaine des Réalisateurs) is an independent selection of the Cannes Film Festival. It was started in 1969 by the French Directors Guild after the events of May 1968 resulted in cancellation of the Cannes festiv ...
Prizes
**
Prix Vulcain – Awarded to a technical artist by the CST
**
International Critics' Week
The International Critics' Week (french: Semaine de la Critique) was founded in 1962 and is organized by the French Syndicate of Cinema Critics. It was created following the showing of '' The Connection'' directed by Shirley Clarke which had been ...
Prizes
**
Prize of the Ecumenical Jury
The Prize of the Ecumenical Jury (french: Prix du Jury Œcuménique) is an independent film award for feature length films shown at major international film festivals since 1973. The award was created by Christian film makers, film critics and ot ...
**
François Chalais Prize
The François Chalais Prize (French: ''Prix François Chalais'') is awarded at two main events, the Cannes Film Festival (since 1997) and the Young Reporters' Awards (since 1999). It was created to pay tribute to French journalist and film histori ...
**
L'Œil d'or
''L'Œil d'or, le prix du documentaire'' — Cannes (, "The Golden Eye, The Documentary Prize — Cannes") is a documentary film award created in 2015. It is awarded to the best documentary presented in one of the sections of the Cannes Film Festi ...
– Best documentary film
**
Trophée Chopard
Trophée Chopard (English: "Chopard Trophy") is awarded by a jury of professionals to two young actors in order to recognise and encourage their career. It was founded in 2001 by Chopard and has since been presented every year during the Cannes F ...
**
Palm Dog – Best canine performance
**
Queer Palm – Best
LGBT
' is an initialism that stands for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender. In use since the 1990s, the initialism, as well as some of its common variants, functions as an umbrella term for sexuality and gender identity.
The LGBT term is a ...
-related films
**
Cannes Soundtrack Award
**
Pierre Angénieux Excellens in Cinematography The Pierre Angénieux ExcelLens in Cinematography is an annual award that pays tribute to a prominent international director of photography at the Cannes Film Festival. The award originated in 2013.
The name comes from Pierre Angénieux, inventor o ...
**
Women in Motion: Since 2015, award delivered by
Kering
Kering () is a French-based multinational corporation specializing in luxury goods. It owns the brands Balenciaga, Bottega Veneta, Gucci, Alexander McQueen and Yves Saint Laurent.
The timber-trading company Pinault S.A. was founded in 1963, by ...
and honoring major achievers in raising awareness around women issues in the film industry.
Impact
The festival has become an important showcase for
European films. Jill Forbes and Sarah Street argue in ''European Cinema: An Introduction'' (), that Cannes "became...extremely important for critical and commercial interests and for European attempts to sell films on the basis of their artistic quality" (page 20).
Forbes and Street also point out that, along with other festivals such as the
Venice Film Festival
The Venice Film Festival or Venice International Film Festival ( it, Mostra Internazionale d'Arte Cinematografica della Biennale di Venezia, "International Exhibition of Cinematographic Art of the Venice Biennale") is an annual film festival he ...
and
Berlin International Film Festival
The Berlin International Film Festival (german: Internationale Filmfestspiele Berlin), usually called the Berlinale (), is a major international film festival held annually in Berlin, Germany. Founded in 1951 and originally run in June, the festi ...
, Cannes offers an opportunity to determine a particular country's image of its cinema and generally foster the notion that European cinema is "art" cinema.
Additionally, given massive media exposure, the non-public festival is attended by many stars and is a popular venue for film producers to launch their new films and to attempt to sell their works to the distributors who come from all over the globe.
Cannes Film Festival in fiction
Though most of the media attention the festival receives is journalistic in nature, the festival has been explored from the standpoint of fiction by novelists over the years.
J. G. Ballard
James Graham Ballard (15 November 193019 April 2009) was an English novelist, short story writer, satirist, and essayist known for provocative works of fiction which explored the relations between human psychology, technology, sex, and mass med ...
's ''
Super-Cannes
''Super-Cannes'' is a novel by the British author J. G. Ballard, published in 2000. It picks up on the same themes as his earlier ''Cocaine Nights'', and has often been called a companion piece to that book.
Plot summary
In the hills above Cann ...
'' is about the European elite who live in a closed society by the festival.
Michael Grothaus
Michael Grothaus (born 1977) is an American novelist and journalist. He is best known for the novel ''Epiphany Jones'' and for his writing about internet subcultures in the digital age.
Biography
Michael Grothaus was born in Saint Louis, Mi ...
’ ''
Epiphany Jones
''Epiphany Jones'' is the debut novel by Michael Grothaus published in June 2016. The novel is a literary thriller, social satire, and dark comedy about America's obsession with sex, celebrity, and the internet, which explores a pornography addi ...
'' is a social satire about the festival and film industry and explores sex trafficking that occurs during the festival. The book was named one of the best Hollywood novels of all time by ''
Entertainment Weekly
''Entertainment Weekly'' (sometimes abbreviated as ''EW'') is an American digital-only entertainment magazine based in New York City, published by Dotdash Meredith, that covers film, television, music, Broadway theatre, books, and popular cul ...
''.
Iain Johnstone
Iain Johnstone (born 8 April 1943 in Reading, Berkshire) is an English author, broadcaster and television producer.
Early life
Johnstone attended Crosfields School, Reading, Campbell College, Belfast and Bristol University.
Career
Johnst ...
's ''Cannes: The Novel'' is a dystopian tale about terrorists holding the festival hostage.
In addition to fictional works, the festival has been examined in contexts ranging from the cultural to the historical in a host of non-fiction books.
See also
*
Directors' Fortnight
The Directors' Fortnight (french: Quinzaine des Réalisateurs) is an independent selection of the Cannes Film Festival. It was started in 1969 by the French Directors Guild after the events of May 1968 resulted in cancellation of the Cannes festiv ...
*
International Critics' Week
The International Critics' Week (french: Semaine de la Critique) was founded in 1962 and is organized by the French Syndicate of Cinema Critics. It was created following the showing of '' The Connection'' directed by Shirley Clarke which had been ...
*
List of Cannes Film Festival jury presidents
Each year, the jury of the Cannes Film Festival is chaired by an internationally recognized personality of cinema. Being appointed to this position is the recognition of an outstanding career.
Since 1960, there has been only one personality to g ...
*
List of Cannes Film Festival juries (Feature films)
Each year, prior to the beginning of each event, the Cannes Film Festival board of directors appoints the juries who hold sole responsibility for choosing which films will receive an award. Contains biographies of all members. Jurors are chosen fro ...
*
Marché du Film
The ''Marché du Film'' (french for "Film Market") is one of the largest film markets in the world.[Marc ...](_blank)
References
Further reading
*
*
*
;Books
*
*
*
*
Media
Footage from the 1946 Cannes Film Festival
External links
Cannes Film Festival official website
Cannes Film Festivalat the
Internet Movie Database
IMDb (an abbreviation of Internet Movie Database) is an online database of information related to films, television series, home videos, video games, and streaming content online – including cast, production crew and personal biographies, ...
The History of the Festivalat the official website
Festival de Cannes at the official website of tourism in France2017
Cannes – A Festival Virgin's Guide– Detailed festival history and information for attendees
Radio France Internationale coverage of the Cannes Film Festival2017
Cannes Film Festivalunofficial blog
Cannes Film Festival: A Potted History*
{{Coord, 43, 33, 03.10, N, 7, 01, 02.10, E, source:fiwiki_region:FR_scale:3000_type:landmark, display=title
1939 establishments in France
1946 establishments in France
Awards established in 1946
Film festivals established in 1939
Film festivals in France
May events
Tourist attractions in Alpes-Maritimes