The famous history of Cannes’ Film Festival

20 April 2018       | 20.15 h.       | Sarah Schauvliege       | Source: Festival-Cannes.com

Thé most famous festival in La Douce France is probably the prestigious Film Festival in Cannes that is being organised every year in May at Palais des Festival at La Croisette. During 12 days journalists and professionals are being submerged in the film industry. This since 1946.

A large number of film producers are offered the perfect opportunity to introduce their newest films at this festival. Since the film festival is getting a lot of media attention every year, people and celebrities all over the world travel to the famous Cannes located in La Côte d’Azur. The film stars are often transported to the red carpet in luxury limousines where a mass of journalists and photographers are waiting for them to take the perfect shot. Although the Film Festival is not accessible to public, one’s aware that the film world forms an essential industry. That is why they chose to broadcast movies at Cinéma de la Plage since 2010. This is a cinema that takes places in open air. Every night there is another film and these are always shown to the general public.

Back to 1946

The Film Festival dates from 1946, but according to the website of the festival this event started eight years earlier in 1938. In July 1938 numerous films were presented under the watchful eye of jury members René Jeanne and Philippe Erlanger. The official launch of the festival was May 31 in 1939, this was three months before the inauguration date. However, the event did not really take place. Tourist decided to leave Cannes, so the committee decided to organise a private presentation of the first film in Competition, namely The Hunchback of Notre-Dame, created by William Dieterle. On 1 September 1939, the initial inauguration date, Germany invaded Poland so the opening of the festival was postponed by ten days. However, on September 3 the war began. The films such as The Wizard of Oz and Only Angels Have Wings were part of the festival’s selection. Prizes for the festival selection were finally awarded 63 years later, in 2002.

71 years and counting

The most important values of the Film Festival have always been the same, and that for 71 years: a passion for cinema, discovering new talent and gathering professionals and journalists under the same roof. These values ensure that the Film Festival plays an essential role in the film industry to this day. The world never stops spinning and the makers of the festival also realize that. Thierry Frémaux, Generale Delegate since 2007, explains his vision of the future: “The Film Festival is an important event on a global scale. We are constantly endeavouring to help our selected works benefit from this image, by supporting the promotion of directors and their films in regions of the world where they have less prestige than in France.”

This year the Film Festival will be held from Tuesday 8 May to Saturday 19 May 2018.