The Top 6 Things You Need to Know About the 2024 Cannes Film Festival
Cannes Film Festival
Image created by Vulture
In just a short week, thousands of celebrities, journalists, and film aficionados will journey to the beloved city of Cannes to indulge in the 77th edition of the iconic Cannes Film Festival. In what first began in 1946 after WWII, the festival has evolved into one of the most prominent festivals in the film industry. From competitions to showings, the Cannes Film Festival invites thousands of individuals to delve into a diverse landscape of outstanding films from all around the world. Celebrating cinema, the prestigious festival brings together actors, producers, directors, distributors, and critics as up-and-coming films from around the world take center stage to be showcased and judged. Whether you’ll be attending the infamous event in person or just want to know more about the festival in general, below is an overview of the top things you need to know heading into the festival week.
French
01. Date,
Time & Location
The 77th Cannes Film Festival will be held from May 14-25 at the stunning Palais des Festivals. Like every edition, the festival will welcome the world’s most prominent celebrities to grace its red carpet, showcasing their beauty and talent to Cannes and the rest of the world.
Palais des Festivals
Image created by www.backstage.com
02. The Poster
For this year’s edition, the festival’s poster highlights a scene from Rhapsody in August. The scene celebrates the simplistic beauty of cinema and the magic that can be created both on and beyond the screen. Directed by Japanese legend, Akira Kurosawa, the film was presented Out of Competition in 1991 and tells the story of three generations as they grapple with the post-war aftermath of the atomic bombing of Japan. The next-to-last film of Kurosawa, Rhapsody in August reminds us of the power of unity and how despite our differences we can strive to create and find harmony in all things. Blending innocence, magic, and poetic beauty, the poster stands as a testament to the festival, reminding us that cinema and films are where stories are told, people are seen, and ultimately is a sanctuary for all to experience and enjoy.
Festival’s poster highlights a scene from Rhapsody in August
Image created by www.screendaily.com
03. Categories
Throughout the festival, dozens of films will be screened with each film belonging to one of the many festival’s categories. Each category hosts several international films that will take center stage for event attendees to see. The categories are as follows — Competition, Un Certain Regard, Out of Competition, Short Films, La Cinef, Cannes Premiere, Midnight Screenings, Special Screenings, and Cannes Classics. To understand the categories, there is a key distinction that needs to be made between the categories of films competing for awards and those that are simply being premiered to the festival’s audiences.
Un Certain Regard
Image created by www.festival-cannes.com
Competitive Categories:
Competition: The Competition category will feature a curated selection of 22 feature-length films vying for the competition’s prestigious prize, the Palme d’Or.
Un Certain Regard: The Un Certain Regard puts the spotlight on 18 emerging filmmakers and their films as they look to highlight new voices and unique perspectives within cinema.
Short Films & La Cinef: Dedicated to the art of the short film, the Short Film category will feature 11 short films from across the globe vying for the coveted Short Film Palme d’Or. La Cinef celebrates the study of cinema by showcasing a selection of 18 films (14 fiction & 4 animation) from film schools around the world.
Immersive Competition: With virtual reality evolving into the newest medium of storytelling, this category highlights 8 virtual reality works that stand out with their cutting-edge technology and cinematography.
Non-Competitive Categories:
Out of Competition: Like the name suggests this category will highlight five blockbuster films that are being recognized for their impact on cinema both on and beyond screens.
Cannes Classics: Honoring the evolution of cinema, this category invites attendees to take a stroll down memory lane watching restored copies of historic films and documentaries.
Cannes Premiere: Created in 2021, this category will feature a selection of 8 films that may not meet the criteria of the competition but still want to be showcased to festival-goers.
Midnight & Special Screenings: Similar to Cannes Premiere, these two categories feature films that due to their subject matter or production style have their own time to shine without competing for the coveted Palme d’Or.
Immersive Selection: Like Immersive Competition, this category showcases the rise in virtual reality films allowing for six films to take center stage without vying for a prize.
04. The Awards
While dozens of films will be vying for the coveted prizes in each of the competitive categories, there will also be three Honorary Palme d’Ors given out at this year’s edition. Iconic American actress, Meryl Streep, will receive the Festival’s honorary Palme d’or, to kick off the festival as she’s recognized for her illustrious career within the film industry. Joining Streep in receiving an award will be the legendary screenwriter, producer, and director, George Lucas, Lucas will receive the Festival’s second honorary Palme d’Or to close out the week of festivities. Along with Lucas and Streep, acclaimed Japanese animation studio, Studio Ghibli, will be awarded the third and final Honorary Palme d’Or marking the first time the coveted award has been bestowed to a group.
Palme d’Ors
Image created by www.wallpaper.com
05. The Juries
For each of the competitive categories, there will be a jury that presides over the competition and has the honor of selecting the winner for each category. Rising American director, Greta Gerwig will chair the Feature Films Jury being joined by a plethora of talented actors, screenwriters, and producers including Lily Gladstone, Ebru Ceylan, and many more. Accomplished Canadian director, actor, and producer Xavier Dolan will preside over the Un Certain Regard jury, and Belgian actress Lubna Azabal will serve as president for the La Cinef & Short Films Jury. The final jury, Caméra D’or, will be led by Belgian director and songwriter Thsiani Baloji and French director, actress, and producer, Emmanuelle Beart.
Prix du Jury
Apichatpong WEERASETHAKUL - Jury Prize ex-æquo for MEMORIA
Nadav LAPID - Jury Prize ex-æquo for HA’BERECH (Le Genou d’Ahed / Ahed's knee) Image created by Festival de Cannes
06. The Celebrities & Stars
While there is no official guest list or line-up of celebrities, there are sure to be many influential stars within the film industry and beyond in attendance. With films like Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga being premiered at the festival, many can expect to see rising stars such as Anya Taylor-Joy, Chris Hemsworth, and many more grace the red carpet.
Cannes season is officially here, and it’s only a matter of time before the world’s biggest stars gather to celebrate the latest accomplishments in the cinema industry and beyond.
