1996 Cannes Film Festival

The 49th Cannes Film Festival took place from 9 to 20 May 1996. American filmmaker Francis Ford Coppola served as jury president for the main competition. Sabine Azéma hosted the opening and closing ceremonies.

British filmmaker Mike Leigh won the Palme d'Or, the festival's top prize, for the drama film Secrets & Lies.

The festival opened with Ridicule by Patrice Leconte, and closed with Flirting with Disaster by David O. Russell.