The 61st Annual

Cannes Film Festival 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 held in Cannes, France, which previews new films o ...

was held from 14 to 25 May 2008. The President of the Official Jury was American actor and director

Sean Penn Sean Justin Penn (born August 17, 1960) is an American actor and film director. He has won two Academy Awards, for his roles in the mystery drama ''Mystic River'' (2003) and the biopic ''Milk'' (2008). Penn began his acting career in televisi ...

. Twenty two films from fourteen countries were selected to compete 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 ...

''. The awards were announced on 24 May. The film '' The Class'' (''Entre les murs''), directed by

Laurent Cantet Laurent Cantet (; born 11 April 1961) is a French director, cinematographer and screenwriter. His film ''Entre les murs'' ('' The Class'') won the top prize at the Cannes Film Festival in 2008. Biography Laurent Cantet was born in 1961 in the town ...

won the ''Palme d'Or''. The festival opened with ''

Blindness Visual impairment, also known as vision impairment, is a medical definition primarily measured based on an individual's better eye visual acuity; in the absence of treatment such as correctable eyewear, assistive devices, and medical treatment� ...

'', directed by Fernando Meirelles and closed with '' What Just Happened'', directed by

Barry Levinson Barry Lee Levinson (born April 6, 1942) is an American filmmaker, comedian and actor. Levinson's best-known works are mid-budget comedy drama and drama films such as '' Diner'' (1982); ''The Natural'' (1984); '' Good Morning, Vietnam'' (1987); ...

Édouard Baer Édouard Baer (born 1 December 1966) is a French actor, director, screenwriter, film producer and radio personality. In 2009, he participated in the French television programme ''Rendez-vous en terre inconnue''. On 5 March 2015 he appeared with S ...

was the master of ceremonies. ''

Hunger In politics, humanitarian aid, and the social sciences, hunger is defined as a condition in which a person does not have the physical or financial capability to eat sufficient food to meet basic Human nutrition, nutritional needs for a sustaine ...

'', directed by Steve McQueen, opened the Un Certain Regard section. The British press reported the list of films in competition this year was notable for its absence of British films for the second successive year. In addition to films selected for competition this year, major Hollywood productions such as ''

Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull ''Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull'' is a 2008 American action-adventure film directed by Steven Spielberg and the fourth installment in the ''Indiana Jones'' series. Released and taking place 19 years after the previous ...

'' and ''

Kung Fu Panda ''Kung Fu Panda'' is an American media franchise that originally started in 2008 with the release of the animated feature film of the same name, produced by DreamWorks Animation. Following the adventures of the titular Po Ping (primarily voic ...

'' had their world premieres at the festival.

Juries

Main competition

The following people were appointed as the Jury for the feature films of the 2008 Official Selection: *

(American actor and director) Jury President *

Jeanne Balibar Jeanne Balibar (born 13 April 1968) is a French actress and singer. Life and career Balibar was born in Paris, the daughter of Marxist philosopher Étienne Balibar and physicist Françoise Balibar. She started her career as a student in th ...

(French actress and singer) *

Rachid Bouchareb Rachid Bouchareb (born 1 September 1953) is a French film director and producer. His films are based on the complex history of France and its relationship with its former colony, Algeria. His films also examine racial discrimination and conflic ...

(Franco-Algerian director) * Sergio Castellitto (Italian actor and director) *

Alfonso Cuaron Alphons (Latinized ''Alphonsus'', ''Adelphonsus'', or ''Adefonsus'') is a male given name recorded from the 8th century (Alfonso I of Asturias, r. 739–757) in the Christian successor states of the Visigothic kingdom in the Iberian peninsula. ...

(Mexican director) *

Alexandra Maria Lara Alexandra Maria Lara (''née'' Plătăreanu; 12 November 1978) is a Romanian-German actress who has appeared in '' Downfall'' (2004), ''Control'' (2007), '' Youth Without Youth'' (2007), ''The Reader'' (2008), '' Rush'' (2013), and ''Geostorm' ...

(German/Romanian actress) *

Natalie Portman Natalie Portman (born Natalie Hershlag, he, נטע-לי הרשלג, ) is an Israeli-born American actress. She has had a prolific film career since her teenage years and has starred in various blockbusters and independent films, receiving mu ...

(Israeli-American actress) *

Marjane Satrapi Marjane Satrapi (; fa, مرجان ساتراپی ; born 22 November 1969) is a French-Iranian graphic novelist, cartoonist, illustrator, film director, and children's book author. Her best-known works include the graphic novel ''Persepolis'' a ...

(Iranian-French author and director) * Apichatpong Weerasethakul (Thai director)

Un Certain Regard

Fatih Akin Fatih Akin (Turkish: Fatih Akın, born 25 August 1973) is a German film director, screenwriter and producer of Turkish descent. He has won numerous awards for his films, including the Golden Bear at the Berlin Film Festival for his film '' Head- ...

(Turkish-German director) President *

Anupama Chopra Anupama Chopra () is an Indian author, journalist, film critic and director of the MAMI Mumbai Film Festival. She is also the founder and editor of the digital platform Film Companion, which offers a curated look at cinema. She has written sev ...

(Indian film critic and author) *Yasser Moheb (critic) * Yekaterina Mtsituridze (journalist) *José Maria Prado (Spanish filmoteca manager)

Cinefondation and short films

Hou Hsiao-hsien Hou Hsiao-hsien (; born 8 April 1947) is a Mainland Chinese-born Taiwanese film director, screenwriter, producer and actor. He is a leading figure in world cinema and in Taiwan's New Wave cinema movement. He won the Golden Lion at the Venice ...

(Taiwanese director) President * Olivier Assayas (French director) *

Susanne Bier Susanne Bier (; born 15 April 1960) is a Danish filmmaker. She is best known for her feature films '' Brothers'' (2004), '' After the Wedding'' (2006), ''In a Better World'' (2010), and '' Bird Box'' (2018), and the TV miniseries ''The Night Man ...

(Danish director) *

Marina Hands Marina Hands (born 10 January 1975) is a French stage and film actress. Hands is the daughter of British director Terry Hands and French actress Ludmila Mikaël, and the granddaughter of Ukrainian-Greek painter . She studied acting at the Cou ...

(French actress) *Laurence Kardish (American curator)

Caméra d'Or

* Bruno Dumont (French director) President *Isabelle Danel (critic) *

Jean-Michel Frodon Jean-Michel Frodon (born 20 September 1953 in Paris) is a journalist, critic and historian of cinema. Biography Born Jean-Michel Billard, he writes with a pseudonym borrowed from Frodo of ''The Lord of the Rings''. He has a master's degree and a ...

(critic) *Monique Kourdine (Fédération des Industries Tech) *

Willy Kurant Willy Kurant (15 February 1934 – 3 April 2021) was a Belgian cinematographer. Kurant began as a documentary cameraman before establishing himself as a director of photography for such filmmakers as Agnès Varda, Jean-Luc Godard, Orson Welles, ...

(cinematographer) * Jean Henri Roger (director)

Official selection

In competition - Feature films

The following feature films competed for the ''Palme d'Or'':

Un Certain Regard

The following films were selected for the competition of

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 ...

: *''

Afterschool ''Afterschool'' is a 2008 American drama film written and directed by Antonio Campos and stars Ezra Miller in their film debut. Filmed at the Pomfret School in Pomfret, Connecticut, ''Afterschool'' premiered at the 2008 Cannes Film Festival in th ...

'' by Antonio Campos *''

'' by Steve McQueen *'' Involuntary'' (''De ofrivilliga'') by

Ruben Östlund Ruben Östlund (born 13 April 1974) is a Swedish filmmaker best known for his black comedic and satirical films ''Force Majeure'' (2014), '' The Square'' (2017) and '' Triangle of Sadness'' (2022), all of which received largely positive reviews an ...

*'' I Want to See'' (''Je veux voir'') by

Joana Hadjithomas Joana Hadjithomas and Khalil Joreige are Lebanese filmmakers and artists. Their work includes feature and documentary films, video and photographic installations, sculpture, performance lectures and texts. Personal life Joana Hadjithomas (b ...

and

Khalil Joreige Joana Hadjithomas and Khalil Joreige are Lebanese filmmakers and artists. Their work includes feature and documentary films, video and photographic installations, sculpture, performance lectures and texts. Personal life Joana Hadjithomas (b ...

*'' Johnny Mad Dog'' by

Jean-Stéphane Sauvaire Jean-Stéphane Sauvaire (born 31 December 1968), is a French filmmaker, producer and screenwriter. He is best known as the director of films '' Johnny Mad Dog'', '' A Prayer Before Dawn'' and ''La Mule''. Personal life Sauvaire was born on 31 De ...

*'' The Dead Girl's Feast'' (''A Festa da Menina Morta'') by Matheus Nachtergaele *'' La Vie moderne'' by

Raymond Depardon Raymond Depardon (; born 6 July 1942) is a French photographer, photojournalist and documentary filmmaker. Early life Depardon was born in Villefranche-sur-Saône, France. Photographer Depardon is a mainly self-taught photographer, as he bega ...

*'' Salt of this Sea'' (''Le Sel de la mer'') by

Annemarie Jacir Annemarie Jacir ( ar, آن ماري جاسر) is a Palestinian filmmaker, writer, and producer. Career Filmmaker She has been working in independent cinema since 1998 and has written, directed and produced a number of award-winning films. Two o ...

*'' Los Bastardos'' by

Amat Escalante Amat Escalante (born 28 February 1979) is a Mexican film director, producer and screenwriter. He is most well known for directing the controversial Mexican crime thriller ''Heli'' for which he was awarded the best director prize award at the 201 ...

*'' O' Horten'' by Bent Hamer *'' Parking'' by

Chung Mong-Hong Chung Mong-hong (; born 1965), also known by his pseudonym, Nagao Nakashima ( ja, 中島長雄, Nakashima Nagao; or in zh, p=Zhōngdǎo Zhǎngxióng), is a Taiwanese film director, screenwriter and cinematographer. Career Chung received Golde ...

*''

Soi Cowboy Soi Cowboy ( th, ซอยคาวบอย, , ) is a short (150 meter long) street in Bangkok, Thailand, with some 40, mostly go-go bars. It caters mainly to tourists and expatriates. Soi Cowboy contains one of the three largest groups of fo ...

'' by

Thomas Clay Thomas Clay (19 November 1892 – 21 February 1949) was a professional Association football, footballer who played Defender (football), fullback for Leicester City F.C., Leicester Fosse (the original name for Leicester City), Tottenham Hotspur F ...

*''

Tokyo! ''Tokyo!'' is a 2008 anthology film containing three segments written by three non-Japanese directors, all of which were filmed in Tokyo, Japan. Michel Gondry directed "Interior Design", Leos Carax directed "Merde", and Bong Joon-ho directed "S ...

'', by

Michel Gondry Michel Gondry (; born 8 May 1963) is a French filmmaker noted for his inventive visual style and distinctive manipulation of mise en scène. Along with Charlie Kaufman, he won an Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay as one of the writers ...

Leos Carax Alex Christophe Dupont (born 22 November 1960), best known as Leos Carax (), is a French film director, critic and writer. Carax is noted for his poetic style and his tortured depictions of love. His first major work was '' Boy Meets Girl'' (198 ...

and Bong Joon-ho *''

Tokyo Sonata is a 2008 Japanese film directed by Kiyoshi Kurosawa. It won the award for Best Film at the 3rd Asian Film Awards and received 2008 Asia Pacific Screen Awards nominations for Achievement in Directing and Best Screenplay. At the 2008 Cannes Film Fe ...

'' by Kiyoshi Kurosawa *'' Tulpan'' by Sergey Dvortsevoy *''

Tyson Tyson is a male given name of old French origin meaning 'high-spirited', 'fire'. It is from this that a surname arose 'son of Tyson'. Surname *Alan Tyson (1926–2000), British musicologist * Barbara Tyson (born 1964), Canadian actress * Bill Tys ...

'' by

James Toback James Toback (; born November 23, 1944) is an American film director and screenwriter. His screenplay for ''Bugsy'' won the 1991 Los Angeles Film Critics Association award for best screenplay of the year and was nominated for both the Academy Awa ...

*''

Versailles The Palace of Versailles ( ; french: Château de Versailles ) is a former royal residence built by King Louis XIV located in Versailles, about west of Paris, France. The palace is owned by the French Republic and since 1995 has been managed, ...

'' by

Pierre Schoeller Pierre is a masculine given name. It is a French form of the name Peter. Pierre originally meant "rock" or "stone" in French (derived from the Greek word πέτρος (''petros'') meaning "stone, rock", via Latin "petra"). It is a translation ...

*''

Wendy and Lucy ''Wendy and Lucy'' is a 2008 American drama film directed by Kelly Reichardt. Reichardt and Jon Raymond adapted the screenplay from his short story ''Train Choir''. The film stars Michelle Williams as Wendy, a homeless woman who searches for he ...

'' by Kelly Reichardt *'' Cloud 9'' (''Wolke Neun'') by

Andreas Dresen Andreas Dresen (born 16 August 1963) is a German film director. His directing credits include '' Cloud 9'', ''Summer in Berlin'', ''Grill Point'' and ''Night Shapes''. His film ''Stopped on Track'' premiered at the Un Certain Regard section at th ...

*'' Ocean Flame'' (''Yíbàn Haǐshuǐ, Yíbàn Huǒyàn'') by Fendou Liu

Films out of competition

The following films were selected to be screened out of competition: *''

The Chaser The Chaser are an Australian satirical comedy group, best known for their television programmes and satirical news masthead. The group take their name from their satirical newspaper, a publication known to challenge conventions of taste. Th ...

'' (''Chugyeogja'') by

Na Hong-jin Na Hong-jin (, born 1974) is a South Korean film director, producer and screenwriter. Na has won a multitude of awards with his films and most known for violent thriller and horror characteristics in his films. Na first became recognised after ...

(South Korea) *''

The Good, the Bad, the Weird ''The Good, the Bad, the Weird'' () is a 2008 South Korean Western action film directed by Kim Jee-woon and starring Song Kang-ho, Lee Byung-hun, and Jung Woo-sung.' The film is inspired by the 1966 Italian Spaghetti Western ''The Good, the Bad ...

'' (''Joheunnom nabbeunnom isanghannom'') by

Kim Jee-woon Kim Jee-woon (; born July 6, 1964) is a South Korean film director and screenwriter. Career Kim started out directing theater but has worked with increasing levels of success in cinema, showing accomplished acting and a detailed stylization in ...

(South Korea) *''

'' by Steven Spielberg (United States) *''

'' by John Stevenson and Mark Osborne (United States) *'' Maradona'' by

Emir Kusturica Emir Kusturica ( sr-cyrl, Емир Кустурица; born 24 November 1954) is a Serbian film director, screenwriter, actor, producer and musician. He also has French citizenship.http://www.serbia.com/emir-kusturica-artist-builder-and-anti-glo ...

(Serbia) *'' Surveillance'' by Jennifer Chambers Lynch (United States) *''

Vicky Cristina Barcelona ''Vicky Cristina Barcelona'' is a 2008 romantic comedy-drama film written and directed by Woody Allen. The film stars Javier Bardem, Penélope Cruz, Rebecca Hall and Scarlett Johansson in lead roles. The plot centers on two American women, Vick ...

'' by

Woody Allen Heywood "Woody" Allen (born Allan Stewart Konigsberg; November 30, 1935) is an American film director, writer, actor, and comedian whose career spans more than six decades and multiple Academy Award-winning films. He began his career writing ...

(United States) *'' What Just Happened?'' by directed by

(United States)

Special Screenings

The following films were selected for the Special Screenings: *'' Ashes of Time Redux'' by

Wong Kar-wai Wong Kar-wai (born 17 July 1958) is a Hong Kong film director, screenwriter, and producer. His films are characterised by nonlinear narratives, atmospheric music, and vivid cinematography involving bold, saturated colours. A pivotal figure ...

(China) *''C'est dur d'être aimé par des cons'' by Daniel Leconte (France) *'' Chelsea on the Rocks'' by

Abel Ferrara Abel Ferrara (born July 19, 1951) is an American filmmaker, known for the provocative and often controversial content in his movies and his use of neo-noir imagery and gritty urban settings. A long-time independent filmmaker, some of his best kn ...

(United States) *'' Of Time and the City'' by

Terence Davies Terence Davies (born 10 November 1945) is an English screenwriter, film director, and novelist, seen by many critics as one of the greatest British filmmakers of his times. He is best known as the writer and director of autobiographical films ...

(United Kingdom) *'' Roman Polanski: Wanted and Desired'' by Marina Zenovich (United States, United Kingdom) *'' The Third Wave'' by Alison Thompson (United States, Sri Lanka) *'' Wild Blood'' (''Sanguepazzo'') by

Marco Tullio Giordana Marco Tullio Giordana (born 1 October 1950) is an Italian Film director, director and screenwriter. Biography Born in Milan, during the 1970s he approaches the cinema by collaborating on the screenplay of Roberto Faenza's 1977 documentary ''F ...

(Italy, France)

Cinéfondation

The following short films were selected for the competition of

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 ...

: *'' August 15th'' (''Ba yue shi wu'') by Jiang Xuan *''Blind Spot'' by Johanna Bessiere, Nicolas Chauvelot, Olivier Clert, Cécile Dubois Herry, Yvon Jardel, Simon Rouby *''El Reloj'' (''The Watch'') by

Marco Berger Marco Berger (born 8 December 1977) is an Argentine people, Argentine film director and screenwriter. He studied at the Universidad del Cine in Buenos Aires and made his directorial debut in 2007 with the short films ''Última voluntad'' and ''E ...

*''Et dans mon coeur j'emporterai'' (''And I’ll Keep in My Heart'') by Yoon Sung-A *''Forbach'' by Claire Burger *''Gata'' by Diana Mkrtchyan *''Gestern In Eden'' (''The Other Day In Eden'') by Jan Speckenbach *''Himnon'' (''Anthem'') by Elad Keidan *''Illusion Dwellers'' by Robb Ellender *''Interior. Scara de Bloc'' (''Interior. Bloc of Flats Hallway'') by Ciprian Alexandrescu *''Kestomerkitsijät'' (''Roadmarkers'') by Juho Kuosmanen *''Naus'' by Lukás Glaser *''O som e o resto'' (''Sound and the Rest'') by André Lavaquial *''Shtika'' (''Silence'') by Hadar Morag *''Stop'' by Park Jae-Ok *''The Maid'' by Heidi Saman *''This Is a Story About Ted and Alice'' by Teressa Tunney

Short film competition

The following short films competed for the Short Film ''Palme d'Or'': *''411-Z'' by Daniel Erdélyi *''Buen Viaje'' by Javier Palleiro *''De moins en moins'' by

Mélanie Laurent Mélanie Laurent (; born 21 February 1983) is a French actress, filmmaker, and singer. The recipient of two César Awards and a Lumières Award, she is an accomplished actress in the French film industry. Globally, she is best known for her rol ...

(France) *''El Deseo'' by Marie Benito *''Jerrycan'' by Julius Avery *'' Love You More'' by

Sam Taylor-Wood Samantha Louise Taylor-Johnson OBE ( née Taylor-Wood; 4 March 1967) is a British filmmaker and photographer. Her directorial feature film debut was 2009's '' Nowhere Boy'', a film based on the childhood experiences of The Beatles songwriter ...

*''

Megatron Megatron is a fictional character and the main antagonist of the ''Transformers'' media franchise produced by American toy company Hasbro and Japanese toy company Takara Tomy. Megatron is the cruel and tyrannical leader of the Decepticons, ...

'' by Marian Crişan *''My Rabbit Hoppy'' by Anthony Lucas *''Smafuglar'' by Rúnar Rúnarsson

Cannes Classics

Cannes Classics places the spotlight on documentaries about cinema and restored masterworks from the past. Tributes *''Douro, faina fluvial'' by Manoel de Oliveira (1931, short) Documentaries about Cinema *''Il était une fois...Lawrence d'Arabie'' by Anne Kunvari (2008) *''La Collection Cinéma cinémas'' by Claude Ventura (2008) *'' No Subtitles Necessary: Laszlo & Vilmos'' by James Chressanthis (2008) *''The Mystery of Samba'' (''O mistério do Samba'') by Jabor Carolina, Buarque De Hollanda Lula (2008) Restored prints *'' 13 jours en France'' by

Claude Lelouch Claude Barruck Joseph Lelouch (; born 30 October 1937) is a French film director, writer, cinematographer, actor and producer. Lelouch grew up in an Algerian Jewish Family. He emerged as a prominent director in the 1960s. Lelouch gained criti ...

and François Reichenbach (1968) *'' 24 Hours in the Life of a Woman'' (''24 Heures de la vie d'une femme'') by Dominique Delouche (1968) *''

Anna Karenina ''Anna Karenina'' ( rus, «Анна Каренина», p=ˈanːə kɐˈrʲenʲɪnə) is a novel by the Russian author Leo Tolstoy, first published in book form in 1878. Widely considered to be one of the greatest works of literature ever writt ...

'' by Alexandre Zarkhi (1967) *'' The Big Snooze'' by

Robert Clampett Robert Emerson Clampett Sr. (May 8, 1913 – May 2, 1984) was an American animator, director, producer and puppeteer. He was best known for his work on the ''Looney Tunes'' animated series from Warner Bros. as well as the television shows '' ...

(1946, short) *'' Birds Anonymous'' by Friz Freleng (1957, short) *'' Blazing Saddles'' by

Mel Brooks Mel Brooks (born Melvin James Kaminsky; June 28, 1926) is an American actor, comedian and filmmaker. With a career spanning over seven decades, he is known as a writer and director of a variety of successful broad farces and parodies. He began ...

(1974) *'' Bonnie and Clyde'' by

Arthur Penn Arthur Hiller Penn (September 27, 1922 – September 28, 2010) was an American director and producer of film, television and theater. Closely associated with the American New Wave, Penn directed critically acclaimed films throughout the 19 ...

(1967) *'' Book Revue'' by

(1945, short) *'' Captain Blood'' by

Michael Curtiz Michael Curtiz ( ; born Manó Kaminer; since 1905 Mihály Kertész; hu, Kertész Mihály; December 24, 1886 April 10, 1962) was a Hungarian-American film director, recognized as one of the most prolific directors in history. He directed cla ...

(1935) *''

Dirty Harry ''Dirty Harry'' is a 1971 American neo-noir action thriller film produced and directed by Don Siegel, the first in the ''Dirty Harry'' series. Clint Eastwood plays the title role, in his first outing as San Francisco Police Department (SFP ...

'' by

Don Siegel Donald Siegel ( ; October 26, 1912 – April 20, 1991) was an American film and television director and producer. Siegel was described by ''The New York Times'' as "a director of tough, cynical and forthright action-adventure films whose taut ...

(1971) *'' Duck Amuck'' by Charles M. Jones (1951, short) *''

The Effect of Gamma Rays on Man-in-the-Moon Marigolds ''The Effect of Gamma Rays on Man-in-the-Moon Marigolds'' is a play written by Paul Zindel, a playwright and science teacher. Zindel received the 1971 Pulitzer Prize for Drama and a New York Drama Critics' Circle Award for the work. Production ...

'' by Paul Newman (1972) *''

Enter the Dragon ''Enter the Dragon'' ( zh, t=龍爭虎鬥) is a 1973 martial arts film directed by Robert Clouse and written by Michael Allin. The film stars Bruce Lee, John Saxon and Jim Kelly. It was Lee's final completed film appearance before his death o ...

'' by

Robert Clouse Robert Clouse (March 6, 1928 – February 4, 1997) was an American film director and film producer, producer, known primarily for his work in the action film, action/adventure and martial arts film, martial arts genres. He died on February 4, 1 ...

(1973) *''

Fingers A finger is a limb of the body and a type of digit, an organ of manipulation and sensation found in the hands of most of the Tetrapods, so also with humans and other primates. Most land vertebrates have five fingers (Pentadactyly). Chambers 1 ...

'' by

(1977) *'' Gamperaliya'' by

Lester James Peries Sri Lankabhimanya Lester James Peries ( Sinhala: ශ්‍රී ලංකාභිමාන්‍ය ලෙස්ටර් ජේම්ස් පීරිස්; 5 April 1919 – 29 April 2018) was a Sri Lankan film director, screenwriter, a ...

(1965) *''

Guide A guide is a person who leads travelers, sportspeople, or tourists through unknown or unfamiliar locations. The term can also be applied to a person who leads others to more abstract goals such as knowledge or wisdom. Travel and recreation Ex ...

'' by Vijay Anand (1965) *'' The Housemaid'' (''Hanyo'') by Kim Ki-young (1960) *''

I Am a Fugitive From a Chain Gang ''I Am a Fugitive from a Chain Gang'' is a 1932 American pre-Code crime-drama film directed by Mervyn LeRoy and starring Paul Muni as a wrongfully convicted man on a chain gang who escapes to Chicago. It was released on November 10, 1932. The f ...

'' by Mervyn Leroy (1932) *'' I Love to Singa'' by

Tex Avery Frederick Bean "Tex" Avery (February 26, 1908 – August 26, 1980) was an American animator, cartoonist, director, and voice actor. He was known for directing and producing animated cartoons during the golden age of American animation. His mo ...

(1936, short) *'' Interviews with My Lai Veterans'' by Joseph Strick (1971) *''

The Invisible Man ''The Invisible Man'' is a science fiction novel by H. G. Wells. Originally serialized in '' Pearson's Weekly'' in 1897, it was published as a novel the same year. The Invisible Man to whom the title refers is Griffin, a scientist who has devo ...

'' by James Whale (1933) *'' Let's Get Lost'' by Bruce Weber (1989) *'' Lola Montes'' by Max Ophuls (1955) *'' The Long Day's Dying'' by Peter Collinson (1968) *''

The Matrix ''The Matrix'' is a 1999 science fiction action film written and directed by the Wachowskis. It is the first installment in ''The Matrix'' film series, starring Keanu Reeves, Laurence Fishburne, Carrie-Anne Moss, Hugo Weaving, and Joe Pantolia ...

'' by Larry Wachowski, Andy Wachowski (1999) *'' One Froggy Evening'' by Charles M. Jones (1955, short) *'' Orphée'' by

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 s ...

(1949) *'' The Passionate Friends'' by David Lean (1948) *'' Peppermint Frappé'' by

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 t ...

(1968) *''

Porky in Wackyland ''Porky in Wackyland'' is a 1938 Warner Bros. ''Looney Tunes'' animated short film, directed by Bob Clampett. The short was released on September 24, 1938, and stars Porky Pig venturing out to find the last do-do bird, which he finds in Wackyland ...

'' by

(1938, short) *'' Rabbit of Seville'' by Charles M. Jones (1949, short) *''

Santa Sangre ''Santa Sangre'' ( en, Holy Blood, italic=yes) is a 1989 avant-garde surreal horror film directed by Alejandro Jodorowsky and written by Jodorowsky along with Claudio Argento and Roberto Leoni. It stars Axel Jodorowsky, Adán Jodorowsky, Teo ...

'' by

Alejandro Jodorowsky Alejandro Jodorowsky Prullansky (; born 17 February 1929) is a Chilean-French avant-garde filmmaker. Best known for his 1970s films ''El Topo'' and '' The Holy Mountain'', Jodorowsky has been "venerated by cult cinema enthusiasts" for his work ...

(1989) *'' The Savage Eye'' by

Ben Maddow Ben Maddow (born David Wolff, August 7, 1909 in Passaic, New Jersey – October 9, 1992 in Los Angeles, California) was an American screenwriter and documentarian from the 1930s through the 1970s. Educated at Columbia University, Maddow began ...

Sidney Meyers Sidney Meyers (March 9, 1906 – December 4, 1969), also known by the pen name Robert Stebbins was an American film director and editor. Sidney Meyers is best known for two documentary films: '' The Quiet One'', which he wrote and directed, a ...

, Joseph Strick (1960) *'' Susuz Yaz'' by Metin Erksan (1964) *'' This Happy Breed'' by David Lean (1944) *'' Touki Bouki'' by

Djibril Diop Mambety Djibril may refer to: * A form of the given name Gabriel * Djibril Cissé (born 1981), French footballer * Lord Djibril This is a list of fictional characters featured in the Cosmic Era (CE) timeline of the Gundam anime metaseries. These charac ...

(1973) *'' What Ever Happened to Baby Jane?'' by Robert Aldrich (1962) *''

What's Opera, Doc? ''What's Opera, Doc?'' is a 1957 American Warner Bros. ''Merrie Melodies'' cartoon directed by Chuck Jones and written by Michael Maltese. The short was released on July 6, 1957, and stars Bugs Bunny and Elmer Fudd. The story features Elmer cha ...

'' by Chuck Jones (1957, short) *'' What's Up Doc?'' by

Peter Bogdanovich Peter Bogdanovich (July 30, 1939 – January 6, 2022) was an American director, writer, actor, producer, critic, and film historian. One of the " New Hollywood" directors, Bogdanovich started as a film journalist until he was hired to work on ...

(1972) *'' Zigeunerweisen'' by

Seijun Suzuki , born (24 May 1923 – 13 February 2017), was a Japanese filmmaker, actor, and screenwriter. His films are known for their jarring visual style, irreverent humour, nihilistic cool and entertainment-over-logic sensibility. He made 40 predo ...

(1980)

Parallel sections

International Critics' Week

The following films were screened for the 47th

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 ...

(47e Semaine de la Critique): Feature film competition *'' Better Things'' by Duane Hopkins (United Kingdom, Germany) *'' The Stranger in Me'' (''Das Fremde in mir'') by

Emily Atef Emily Atef (born 6 May 1973) is a German-French-Iranian director, screenwriter and producer based in Berlin. Early life At the age of 7, Atef moved from Berlin to Los Angeles with her French-Iranian parents and her brother the drummer Cyril Ate ...

(Germany) *'' Everybody Dies But Me'' () by Valeriya Gai Germanika (Russia) *'' Blood Appears'' (''La Sangre brota'') by Pablo Fendrik (Argentina, France, Germany) *''Les Grandes personnes'' by Anna Novion (France, Sweden) *'' Moscow, Belgium'' (''Aanrijding in Moscou'') by Christophe Van Rompaey (Belgium) *''

Snow Snow comprises individual ice crystals that grow while suspended in the atmosphere—usually within clouds—and then fall, accumulating on the ground where they undergo further changes. It consists of frozen crystalline water throughout ...

'' (''Snijeg'') by

Aida Begić Aida Begić (born 9 May 1976) is a Bosnian film director and screenwriter. Education and career She graduated in Film and Theater Directing from the Academy of Performing Arts in Sarajevo in 2000. Her graduation film "The First Death Experience ...

(Bosnia-Herzegovina, Germany, France, Iran) Short film competition *''A espera'' (''L’attente'') by Fernanda Teixeira (Brazil) *''Ahendu nde sapukai'' by Pablo Lamar (Argentina, Paraguay) *'' Ergo'' by Géza M. Tóth (Hungary) *''La Copie de Coralie'' by Nicolas Engel (France) *'' Next Floor'' by Denis Villeneuve (Canada) *''Nosebleed'' by

Jeff Vespa Jeff Vespa (born 1970) is an American photographer, known as a co-founder of WireImage and the editor-at-large of LIFE.com. Photography career Vespa is most widely known for being one of nine co-founders of the photo agency website WireImage.com ...

(United States) *''Skhizein'' by Jérémy Clapin (France) Special screenings *''

7 days Seven Days or 7 Days may refer to: * Week, an amount of time Film * ''7 Days'' (2010 film) (''Les 7 jours du talion''), Canadian thriller film * ''7 Days'' (2021 film), American romantic comedy film * ''Seven Days'' (1925 film), American silent ...

'' (''Shiva'') by Ronit Elkabetz,

Shlomi Elkabetz Shlomi Elkabetz ( he, שלומי אלקבץ; born 5 December 1972) is an Israeli actor, writer and director. He is known for playing Simon in HBO's ''Our Boys''. Early life Elkabetz mother was a hairdresser and his father was a postal employee. ...

(Israel, France) *''

Rumba The term rumba may refer to a variety of unrelated music styles. Originally, "rumba" was used as a synonym for "party" in northern Cuba, and by the late 19th century it was used to denote the complex of secular music styles known as Cuban rumba. ...

'' by

Dominique Abel Dominique Abel and Fiona Gordon are Belgian film and stage directors, writers and actors. Career Dominique Abel and Fiona Gordon have worked as a writing and directing team through most of their professional careers. They made their directing de ...

, Fiona Gordon, Bruno Romy (France, Belgim) *'' Home'' by

Ursula Meier Ursula Meier (born 24 June 1971) is a France, French-Switzerland, Swiss film director and screenwriter. Career A native of Besançon, the capital of the Franche-Comté region in eastern France, near the Swiss border, Ursula Meier graduated from ...

(Switzerland, France, Belgium) *''

The Desert Within ''The Desert Within'' ( es, Desierto Adentro) is a 2008 Spanish language religion themed drama film, written and directed by Uruguayan-born Mexican film-maker Rodrigo Plá. The film was inspired by the diaries of the Christian existentialist phil ...

'' (''Desierto adentro'') by

Rodrigo Plá Rodrigo Plá (born 9 June 1968 in Montevideo, Uruguay) is a Uruguayan screenwriter and director. He is best known for his 2007 film '' La Zona'' (The Zone). Plá studied photography, screenwriting and direction at the Centro de capacitación c ...

(Mexico) *'' The End of Poverty?'' (''La Fin de la pauvreté?'') by Philippe Diaz (United States) *''Enfants de Don Quichotte (Acte 1)'' by Ronan Dénécé, Augustin Legrand, Jean-Baptiste Legrand (France) :Short films *''Areia'' (''Sand'') by Caetano Gotardo (Brazil) *'' La Résidence Ylang Ylang'' by Hachimiya Ahamada (France, Comores) *''L’ondée'' by David Coquard-Dassault (France, Canada) *''Beyond the Mexique Bay'' by Jean-Marc Rousseau Ruiz (France, Mexico) :Prix de la Critique *''Taxi Wala'' by Lola Frederich (France) *''Graffiti'' by Vano Burduli (Georgia) *''Les Filles de feu'' by Jean-Sébastien Chauvin (France) *''Les Paradis Perdus'' by Hélier Cisterne (France) *''Young Man Falling'' (''Ung and falder'') by Martin De Thurah (Denmark) *''A Relationship in Four Days'' by Peter Glanz (United States)

Directors' Fortnight

The following films were screened for the 2008

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 Réalizateurs): Feature films *''

Acne Acne, also known as ''acne vulgaris'', is a long-term skin condition that occurs when dead skin cells and oil from the skin clog hair follicles. Typical features of the condition include blackheads or whiteheads, pimples, oily skin, and ...

'' by Federico Veiroj *'' Our Beloved Month of August'' (''Aquele querido mês de agosto'') by Miguel Gomes *''

Boogie Boogie is a repetitive, swung note or shuffle rhythm,Burrows, Terry (1995). ''Play Country Guitar'', p.42. Dorling Kindersley Limited, London. . "groove" or pattern used in blues which was originally played on the piano in boogie-woogie mus ...

'' by

Radu Muntean Radu Muntean (; born 8 June 1971 in Bucharest) is a Romanian film director and screenwriter. He is a central figure of the Romanian New Wave.

*''Les Bureaux de Dieu'' by Claire Simon *''

Birdsong Bird vocalization includes both bird calls and bird songs. In non-technical use, bird songs are the bird sounds that are melodious to the human ear. In ornithology and birding, songs (relatively complex vocalizations) are distinguished by func ...

'' (''El cant dels ocells'') by Albert Serra *''

Four Nights with Anna ''Four Nights with Anna'' ( pl, Cztery noce z Anną) is a 2008 drama film directed by Jerzy Skolimowski. It stars Artur Steranko and Kinga Preis. It tells the story of a man who visits a woman in her sleep. The film had its world premiere as the o ...

'' (''Cztery noce z Anną'') by Jerzy Skolimowski *'' De la guerre'' by

Bertrand Bonello Bertrand Bonello (; born 11 September 1968) is a French film director, screenwriter, producer and composer. His background is in classical music, and he lives between Paris and Montreal. His work has also been associated with the New French Extre ...

*''Dernier maquis'' by Rabah Ameur-Zaïmeche *'' Eldorado'' by Bouli Lanners *'' Private Lessons'' (''Elève libre'') by

Joachim Lafosse Joachim Lafosse (born 18 January 1975) is a Belgian film director and screenwriter. Career Lafosse studied at the IAD (Institut des arts de diffusion) at Louvain-la-Neuve between 1997 and 2001. His graduation film ''Tribu'', a 24-minute short ...

*''

Liverpool Liverpool is a city and metropolitan borough in Merseyside, England. With a population of in 2019, it is the 10th largest English district by population and its metropolitan area is the fifth largest in the United Kingdom, with a populat ...

'' by

Lisandro Alonso Lisandro Alonso (born 2 June 1975) is an Argentine film director and screenwriter. He has directed six feature-length films and a short film since 2001 and is loosely associated with the ''New Argentine Cinema'' movement. His film '' La libertad ...

*''Monsieur Morimoto'' by Nicola Sornaga *'' Knitting'' (''Niú lán zhī nǔ'') by

Yin Lichuan Yin Lichuan () (born 1973) is a Chinese writer, poet and filmmaker. A graduate of Peking University and ESEC ( école supérieure d'études cinématographiques in Paris), Yin made her name writing novels and poetry, including '' A Little More Comfo ...

*''Now Showing'' by

Raya Martin Raya Martin (born 1984) is a Filipino filmmaker. His works include '' Independencia''Abrams, Simon"Independencia" '' Slant Magazine'', 4 October 2009. Retrieved on 8 January 2015. and ''Manila Manila ( , ; fil, Maynila, ), officially the Ci ...

*'' The Pleasure of Being Robbed'' by Josh Safdie *''Il Resto della notte'' by Francesco Munzi *''Salamandra'' by

Pablo Agüero Pablo Agüero (born 13 May 1977 in Mendoza, Argentina) is an Argentine-French filmmaker. Raised in the Argentinean Patagonia, Pablo Agüero obtained international recognition with "Primera Nieve", winner of the Grand Jury Prize in the Official Com ...

*''Shultes'' by Bakur Bakuradze *'' Blind Loves'' (''Slepe lásky'') by Juraj Lehotský *''Taraneh Tanhaïye Tehran'' by Saman Salour *'' Tony Manero'' by

Pablo Larraín Pablo Larraín Matte (; born 19 August 1976) is a Chilean filmmaker. He has directed nine feature films and co-directed one television series, including the Academy Award-nominated films '' No'' (2012), '' Neruda'' (2016), '' Jackie'' (2016) an ...

*''Le Voyage aux Pyrénées'' by Arnaud et Jean-Marie Larrieu Special screenings *''40X15'' by Olivier Jahan *''Itinéraire de Jean Bricard'' by Danièle Huillet, Jean-Marie Straub (40 min) *''Le Genou d’Artemide'' by Jean-Marie Straub (26 min) *''Milestones (Reprise)'' by John Douglas,

Robert Kramer Robert Kramer (June 22, 1939 – November 10, 1999), born in New York and educated at Swarthmore College and Stanford University, was an American film director, screenwriter and actor who directed 19 films between 1965 and 1999, most of them ...

Short films *''The Acquaintances of a Lonely John'' by

Benny Safdie Benjamin Safdie (born February 24, 1986) is an American film director, screenwriter, actor and film editor best known for working with his older brother Josh as a filmmaker, whose works include '' Good Time'' (2017) and '' Uncut Gems'' (2019). ...

*''Ciel éteint!'' by *''Easter Morning'' by

Bruce Conner Bruce Conner (November 18, 1933 – July 7, 2008) was an American artist who worked with assemblage, film, drawing, sculpture, painting, collage, and photography. Biography Bruce Conner was born November 18, 1933 in McPherson, Kansas.His well- ...

*''Il fait beau dans la plus belle ville du monde'' by Valérie Donzelli *''Je vous hais petites filles'' by

Yann Gonzalez M83 are a French electronic music group formed in Antibes in 1999 and currently based in Los Angeles. Initially a duo of multi-instrumentalists Nicolas Fromageau and Anthony Gonzalez, Fromageau parted ways shortly after touring for their second ...

*''Kamel s’est suicidé six fois, son père est mort'' by Soufiane Adel *''MAN'' by Myna Joseph *''Mes copains'' by

Louis Garrel Louis Garrel (born 14 June 1983) is a French actor and filmmaker. He is best known for his starring role in '' The Dreamers'', directed by Bernardo Bertolucci.

*''Muro'' by Tião *''Sagan om den lille Dockpojken'' by Johannes Nyholm *''Summer Afternoon'' by Wi-ding Ho *''Vsakdan ni vsak dan'' by Martin Turk

Awards

Official awards

The following films and people received the 2008 Official selection awards: *''

'': '' The Class'' (''Entre les murs'') by

* Grand Prix: '' Gomorra'' by Matteo Garrone * Best Director Award: Nuri Bilge Ceylan for '' Three Monkeys'' (''Üç Maymun'') * Best Screenplay Award: Luc & Jean-Pierre Dardenne for '' Lorna's Silence'' (''Le Silence de Lorna'') * Best Actress Award:

Sandra Corveloni Sandra Corveloni (born May 9, 1965) is a Brazilian film, stage and television actress. Born in Flórida Paulista and raised in São Paulo, Corveloni graduated in performing arts in the Pontifícia Universidade Católica de São Paulo (PUC-SP) ...

in ''

Linha de Passe ''Linha de Passe'' is a 2008 Brazilian drama film directed by Walter Salles and Daniela Thomas. Written by Salles, Thomas and Bráulio Mantovani, the film stars Vinícius de Oliveira and Sandra Corveloni, who won the Best Actress Award at the ...

'' * Best Actor Award:

Benicio del Toro Benicio Monserrate Rafael del Toro Sánchez (born February 19, 1967) is a Puerto Rican actor and producer. He has garnered critical acclaim and numerous accolades, including an Academy Award, a BAFTA Award, a Golden Globe Award, two Screen ...

in '' Che'' *

Jury Prize A jury is a sworn body of people (jurors) convened to hear evidence and render an impartial verdict (a finding of fact on a question) officially submitted to them by a court, or to set a penalty or judgment. Juries developed in England duri ...

Paolo Sorrentino Paolo Sorrentino (; born 31 May 1970) is an Italian film director, screenwriter, and writer. His 2013 film ''The Great Beauty'' won the Academy Awards, Academy Award, the Golden Globe Awards, Golden Globe, and the British Academy of Film and Te ...

for ''

Il Divo Il Divo (; ) are a multi-national classical crossover vocal group. The male quartet, which originated in the United Kingdom in December 2003, consists of tenors Urs Bühler, David Miller, and Sébastien Izambard. It also included bariton ...

'' *Special Prize of the Festival:

Catherine Deneuve Catherine Fabienne Dorléac (born 22 October 1943), known professionally as Catherine Deneuve (, , ), is a French actress as well as an occasional singer, model, and producer, considered one of the greatest European actresses. She gained recogni ...

and Clint Eastwood Un Certain Regard * Prix Un Certain Regard: '' Tulpan'' by Sergey Dvortsevoy *Un Certain Regard Special Jury Prize: ''

'' by Kiyoshi Kurosawa *Heart Throb Jury Prize: '' Cloud 9'' (''Wolke Neun'') by

*Knockout Prize: ''

'' by

*Prize of Hope: '' Johnny Mad Dog'' by

Cinéfondation * First Prize: ''Himnon'' (''Anthem'') by Elad Keidan *Second Prize: ''Forbach'' by Claire Burger *Third Prize: ''Stop'' by Park Jae-Ok & ''Kestomerkitsijät'' (''Roadmarkers'') by Juho Kuosmanen Golden Camera *

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 ...

: ''

'' by Steve McQueen *Caméra d'Or - Special mention: '' Everybody Dies But Me'' () by Valeriya Gai Germanika Short films * Short Film ''Palme d'Or'': ''

'' by Marian Crişan *Jury Prize: ''Jerrycan'' by Julius Avery

Independent awards

FIPRESCI Prizes *''

'' by Steve McQueen (Un Certain Regard) *'' Eldorado'' by Bouli Lanners (Directors' Fortnight) *'' Delta'' by

Kornél Mundruczó Kornél Mundruczó (; born 3 April 1975) is a Hungarian film and theatre director. He has directed 18 short and feature films between 1998 and 2020. His film ''Johanna'' was screened in the Un Certain Regard section of the 2005 Cannes Film Fest ...

(In competition) Vulcan Award of the Technical Artist * Vulcan Award: ''

'' by

Ecumenical Jury *

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 ...

: '' Adoration'' by Atom Egoyan Awards in the frame of International Critics' Week *Critics Week Grand Prize: ''

'' (''Snijeg'') by

*SACD Award: '' Moscow, Belgium'' (''Aanrijding in Moscou'') by Christophe Van Rompaey *ACID/CCAS Award: '' Moscow, Belgium'' (''Aanrijding in Moscou'') by Christophe Van Rompaey *OFAJ/TV5MONDE Young Critics Award: '' Blood Appears'' (''La Sangre brota'') by Pablo Fendrik *Canal+ Gran Prix for short film: '' Next Floor'' by Denis Villeneuve *Kodak Discovery Award for Best Short Film: ''Skhizein'' by Jérémy Clapin Other awards *Regards Jeunes Prize: '' Everybody Dies But Me'' () by Valeriya Gai Germanika Association Prix François Chalais *

Prix François Chalais Prix was an American power pop band formed in Memphis, Tennessee, in 1975 by Tommy Hoehn and Jon Tiven. The group ended up primarily as a studio project. Its recordings were produced by Tiven along with former Big Star member Chris Bell, who a ...

: '' Wild Blood'' (''Sanguepazzo'') by

References

External links

2008 Cannes Film Festival
(web.archive)
Official website Retrospective 2008Cannes Film Festival Awards for 2008
at

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, ...

{{Cannes Film Festival Cannes Film Festival