Dennis Hopper, Peter Fonda and Jack Nicholson raise hell when their movie Easy Rider premiered at the Cannes Film Festival in 1969
The world’s most famous movie festival.
The Cannes International Film Festival (Le Festival International du Film de Cannes) is an annual film festival held in Cannes, South of France, which previews new films including documentaries from around the world. It is the world’s most prestigious and publicised film festival. Invite only, the festival is held in May at the Palais des Festivals et des Congrès which is situated on the seafront in Cannes, near the harbour.
The festival has become an important showcase for European films. Given the massive media exposure and the number of movie stars that attend it is a popular venue for film producers to launch their new films and attempt to sell their works to the distributors who also flock from all over the world.
Cannes Film Festival 2012: Stars grace the film festival red carpet
Tilda Swinton, Bruce Willis and Lana Del Rey are among those to grace the red carpet as the 65th annual Cannes Film Festival officially opens.
Attendees included members of the jury who will pick the winner of the coveted Palme D’Or at the end of the 12-day extravaganza, such as Diane Kruger and Ewan McGregor, as well as Bruce Willis, Bill Murray, Tilda Swinton and other stars of Wes Anderson’s new film Moonrise Kingdom.
Other stars on the carpet included Alec Baldwin and his fiancé Hilaria Thomas and US actress Eva Longoria.
Anderson’s film, also starring Jason Schwartzman, was the official opening entry in the main competition, and ensured a star-studded gala premiere.
The Cannes Film Festival runs until May 27.
Extract from the telegraph.co.uk
Brigitte Bardot raised temperatures on the Cote d’Azur when she appeared in just a bikini at the Cannes Film Festival in 1953
A bit of Cannes Film Festival history
Created by Jean Zay, the Minister for Education and Fine Arts, who wanted to establish an international cultural event that rivalled the Venice Film Festival, the Cannes Film Festival was originally held on 20 September 1946, a year after the war ended. From May 1952 onward it has been held in May every year and has now become a renowned event in the international calendar.
The Festival became more popular in the 1950s because of the attendance of celebrities such as Grace Kelly, Brigitte Bardot, Cary Grant, Alain Delon, Sophia Loren, Kirk Douglas and Gina Lollobrigida.
The famous Palme d’Or was awarded for the first time in 1955 to the film Marty directed by Delbert Mann.
In 1997, on the 50th anniversary of the Festival de Cannes, the world’s greatest directors came together on stage to award the Palme des Palmes to Ingmar Bergman.
In 2007, to celebrate 60 years of the Festival, 33 of the world’s greatest directors were invited to take part in the anniversary film, To Each His Own Cinema, each shooting a 3-minute short film about the rooms in which films are projected in cinemas.
Nude Belgian cyclists recreate a scene from La Merditude des Choses at the Cannes Film Festival in 2009
Cannes Film Festival 2012 – what you need to know
The festival is strictly an event for film professionals and the associated media, and without proper accreditation you won’t get in to the Palais des Festivals. However, it is possible to gain entry to the open-air Cinéma de la Plage, which screens official selections to the public. Tickets are available from the tourist office.
- 16 May to 27 May
- 65th annual Cannes Film Festival
- President of the Jury for the main competition – Italian film director Nanni Moretti
- President of the Jury for the Un Certain Regard section – Tim Roth
- Hosting the opening and closing ceremonies – French Actress Bérénice Bejo (The Artist)
- Official poster – Features Marilyn Monroe to mark the 50th anniversary of her death
The Cannes Film Festival official website >>
Cannes travel info >>
