Palme d'Or: the history of the International Cannes Film Festival

2024 Author: Henry Conors | [email protected]. Last modified: 2024-02-12 02:46

The Palme d'Or is considered one of the most prestigious film awards. Any director whose picture will be liked by the jury of the Cannes Film Festival can get it. How is the competition program different from the Oscars, and why is it more important for some to receive this award than the American Academy Award?

History

In the 1930s, the annual film festival was held in Venice. Contestants from all over Europe brought their paintings to the Italian jury. At that time, the host country was the leader in the film industry, and it is not surprising that the rest of the states remained without awards. This caused a lot of unrest, and in 1938 a scandal erupted.

The film "Olympia", presented by the German director Leni Riefenstahl, won the award, according to the other participants, undeservedly. There were suspicions that the Hitler administration was putting pressure on the judges. There was a lot of controversy from the start, but this was the last straw - America and Britainrefused to take part in the festival.

Côte d'Azur

France solves the issue radically - in 1939, the resort city of Cannes is ready to accept everyone who wants to show their directorial work. But by September, Europe was engulfed in World War II, and the event had to be delayed by as much as seven years. In 1946, the First International Cannes Film Festival begins. It is opened by Soviet director Yuri Raizman with his film "Berlin".

Palme d'Or

Until 1955, the best director award was simply called the "Grand Prix". The Board of Directors decided to ennoble the main prize, so they held a competition among jewelers. The idea to make the palm branch a symbol of the festival is quite prosaic – it is this symbol that adorns the coat of arms of Cannes. Lucienne Lazon became the winner, but in 1975, after many years of litigation for copyright, the management decides to make a new prize. Since then, its design has undergone many changes, and the modern version is a golden palm branch in a blue morocco case.

Who can claim the victory?

In the late seventies, it was decided to select paintings for the competition. Up to this point, the countries themselves offered their films. Now even a nomination is a very solid achievement in the career of any director. Main requirements for feature work:

• The film must be longer than 60 minutes.
• The film has not previously been nominated for any other awards.
• Must be removed no more than a year before the festival.
• The film must not be released in other countries.
• Have English sub titles.

A distinctive feature is that not only a feature film, but also a documentary can get the Palme d'Or. The jury includes eminent directors who have made a significant contribution to the development of the film industry, actors and critics. The judging staff is determined by the festival management.

Cannes Film Festival Palme d'Or Winners

Only one Soviet director managed to receive the prestigious award. In 1958, Mikhail Kolotozov presented his film The Cranes Are Flying and won the grand prize of the Palme d'Or. There is one more winner from the USSR in the list of laureates. But in 1946, the prize was called "Grand Prix" and looked like a work of art made by the best fashion designers of the time. Be that as it may, Friedrich Ermler and his film "The Great Break" can be called the first winners. In addition to the main award, there are several other prizes that Russian directors received in large numbers.

Significance

Every year in early May, thousands of journalists and reporters from all over the world come to Cannes. World-class stars come to demonstrate the best outfits and compete for victory. After all, getting the main prize for the best female or male role at this festival is no less prestigious than the same Oscar. Refereeing in Cannes is famous for its impartiality, and there have never been scandals that would cast a shadow on the decision of the jury. In 2017Andrey Zvyagintsev received the "Jury Prize" for the poignant film "Dislike". In the Un Certain Regard nomination, the FIPRESCI Prize went to Kantemir Balagov for his painting Crampedness.

Distinguishing Features

The Cannes Film Festival is very different from the Oscars. Although American film academics are trying to create intrigue and mystery in the upcoming competition, it is not difficult to predict the results even for people far from the world of cinema. Sometimes the fight is between two films, and sometimes the leader becomes obvious long before the ceremony. On the Cote d'Azur, everything is not so obvious - one of ten or more directors can receive the Palme d'Or. Until the last moment, no one knows who the jury will give preference to, and this makes the event truly exciting. We hope that Russian directors will be able to surprise the respected judging more than once, and the main prize will come to Russia!