Cannes Film Festival
From LoveToKnow Movies
Cannes Film Festival History
Prior to the Cannes Film Festival, back in the 1930s, the major film festival in Europe was held in Venice. With the rise of fascist regimes in Italy and Germany, the film awards in Venice became politicized, awarding most of the honors to films from Mussolini's Italy and Hitler's Germany.
Filmmakers and critics petitioned the French government to sponsor a more impartial festival, and the Cannes Film Festival was born, situated in the French Mediterranean luxury beach resort of Cannes.
The first Festival in 1939 was cancelled after one day due to the outbreak of WWII. After the war, the Cannes Film Festival returned in 1946. With the exception of 1948 and 1950, when it was cancelled due to lack of funding, the Festival has been held every year since. The 1968 Festival was disrupted and then cancelled after several days due to nationwide strikes and riots, as well as dissention within the Festival itself.
Originally, the Cannes Film Festival was promoted as a tourist draw, with most films submitted garnering some sort of award, but as the Festival grew, it became more rigorous and more exclusive. Now official Festival events are restricted to members of the film making industry.
The Palme D'Or
The top prize at the Cannes Film Festival was named the Palme D'Or (the Golden Palm) in 1954, in honor of Cannes' signature palm trees.
Notable Winners
As an international film festival, Cannes awards the Palme D'Or to films from all nations.
Notable American films that have won the Palme D'Or include Orson Welles' Othello in 1951, Marty in 1955, *M*A*S*H* in 1970, Taxi Driver in 1976, Apocalypse Now in 1979, All That Jazz in 1980, Wild At Heart in 1990, Pulp Fiction in 1994, and Fahrenheit 9/11 in 2004.
Notable non-American Palme D'Or winners include the Soviet Union's The Cranes Are Flying in 1958, Italy's La Dolce Vita in 1960, Italy's Blowup in 1967, Algeria's Chronicle of the Years of Fire in 1975, West Germany's The Tin Drum in 1979, the UK's The Mission in 1986, and New Zealand's The Piano in 1993.
Cannes Today
The 2006 Cannes Film Festival will be held from 17 to 28 May. Films in competition have not yet been announced.
In addition to the main festival competition, numerous related events (called "sidebars") have sprung up to run concurrently. The Un Certain Regard sidebar is an overview of current world films. Cinefondation presents fifteen films from film schools around the world. The International Critics Week provides a showcase for films from new filmmakers. The Directors Fortnight showcases little-known filmmakers; these selections are considered the most radical offerings to be seen at Cannes.
While official Cannes Film Festival events are restricted to members of the film industry, the non-professional can get in some premium celebrity watching in a beach environment where skimpy clothing have become a Festival tradition. There is also unparalleled luxury shopping and dining on the French Riviera, for those who can afford it.
Related Movie Links
This page has been accessed 439 times. This page was last modified 05:30, 26 May 2006.
© 2006-2008 LoveToKnow Corp.
