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Introduction to the film festival

Film Festival Highlights
With the 78th season about to get underway, the international Festival de Cannes is one of the worlds most widely publicized events and certainly the most important film festival in terms of worldwide impact. We put ten questions to Thierry Frémaux, General Delegate since 2007, on what the Festival de Cannes means today. What is the mission of the Festival de Cannes? In order to achieve this level of longevity, the Festival de Cannes has remained faithful to its founding purpose: to draw attention to and raise the profile of films, with the aim of contributing towards the development of cinema, boosting the film industry worldwide and celebrating cinema at an international level. And to this day, this profession of faith constitutes the first article of the Festival regulations. What initiatives has the Festival set up to encourage film production? The Festival is very keen to discover new talent and act as a springboard for creation. The most important (and least visible) task is performed by the teams talent scouts who travel the world and scour film festivals each season to unearth the most promising directors. As the Festival has developed over the years, a number of initiatives designed to promote the talents of the future have already been introduced: the Caméra d’or is awarded to the best film presented either in the Official Selection, during Directors´ Fortnight or during the Semaine de la Critique, while the Cinéfondation presents film school works and organises the Residence and the Workshop. The development of Cannes Short Films is another step in this direction. Together, these initiatives enable us to act as an observatory for the trends shaping the cinema of the future.

Awards

PALME DOR、GRAND PRIX、JURY PRIZE、BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR、BEST DIRECTOR PRIZE、BEST SCREENPLAY、BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS、SPECIAL DISTINCTION BY THE JURY、UN CERTAIN REGARD PRIZE、PRIZE FOR BEST SCREENPLAY、PRIZE FOR BEST PERFORMANCE、PRIZE FOR BEST DIRECTOR、JURY SPECIAL PRIZE、CAMÉRA DOR、CINÉFONDATION: FIRST PRIZE、CINÉFONDATION: SECOND PRIZE EX AEQUO、CINÉFONDATION: THIRD PRIZE

Rules

Genre :Action Comedy War Science fiction Ethics Terror Thriller Violence Adventure Crime Family Music Love Magic Fantasy Shootout Suspense Youth Inspirational Literary Biography Western Drama others Documentary
Subject :Unlimited
Video Format :MPEG4 DCP

Short: Films that have been produced during the twelve months preceding the FestivalFilms whose distribution is limited to their country of originFilms that have not been presented at any international motion picture event. If the film has been selected for an international section (competitive or not) of a festival, it becomes ineligible for the Festival de Cannes. A selection is international if it presents films from different countries.Films that have not been shown on the InternetShort films that do not exceed 15 minutes in length, including creditsThe Selection Committee will screen films: •WITHOUT subtitles if the original language is French or English. •WITH French or English subtitles for all other original languages.  For subtitled films, the subtitles must be integrated (burned in) into the image. IF YOUR FILM IS SELECTED You will be contacted before the official press conference, which will take place toward mid-April.  You must supply us either with a DCP (Digital Cinema Package), a JPEG 2000 file or a 35mm print.  The Film Department will send you all the necessary information in due time, but only if your film is selected.  Once a film has been selected it cannot be withdrawn from the Festival programme during the event.Only one film per director is accepted.  Besides the Cinéfondation prizes, the Cinéfondation and Short Film Jury is obliged to award:  The Palme dOr - Short Film.The President of the Association Française du Festival International du Film has the power to settle all cases not covered by the present rules and regulations.Feature:The Selection Committee of the Festival de Cannes is exclusively in charge of the following sections of the Official Selection: Competition, Out of Competition and Un Certain Regard. The Selection Committee decides which category a film can participate in.The non-official categories Directors Fortnight and Semaine de la Critique are independent of the Cannes Film Festival. They handle their own respective selections.Films that have been produced during the twelve months preceding the FestivalFilms whose distribution is limited to their country of originFilms that have not been presented at any international motion picture event. If the film (feature or short) has been selected for an international section (competitive or not) of a festival, it becomes ineligible for the Festival de Cannes. A selection is international if it presents films from different countries.Films that have not been shown on the Internet or released on DVD.Every feature film invited to be in competition must be released theatrically in France in accordance with French legislation pertaining to media chronology rules. Any beneficiary, producer or authorized representative submitting a feature film commits to honoring this clause.In order to be selected as a feature film, your film must be more than 60 minutes long.The Selection Committee will accept films:  WITHOUT subtitles if the original language is French or English. WITH French or English subtitles for all other original languages.Once a film has been selected it cannot be withdrawn from the Festival programme during the event.All films must be presented in their original language, with French subtitles. By "original language" is meant the language in which a film is or will be exhibited in its country of origin.  It is for the Board of Directors to decide whether or not a film that does not exactly meet this criterion may participate in the Festival.  French films must be subtitled in English on the print. All subtitling expenses are to be met by the films producer. Moreover, all films with dialogues in a language other than English or French will be electronically subtitled in English. The screening of those subtitles will be operated by the Festival service provider.The Festival de Cannes designates the eight foreign and French members of the Jury for the feature films in competition as well as its President.  Each Jury member votes by secret ballot. Decisions will be reached by an absolute majority of votes in the first two ballots and by a relative majority vote in the following ballots. The President and the General Director of the Festival de Cannes attend Jury deliberations but will take no part in the voting.  The Board of Directors also designates the four members and the President of the Jury for the Cinéfondation and the short films in competition.  No person having taken part in the production or exploitation of a film in competition may be on the Jury.The Jury for the feature films in competition is obliged to award:  The Palme dOr The Grand Prix The award for the Best Director The Jury Prize The award for the Best Screenplay The award for the Best Actress The award for the Best Actor. The prize list must not contain more than one joint award. The Palme dOr can never be awarded jointly. No film can receive more than one award. However, the award for the Best Screenplay and the Jury Prize can be combined with a Best Performance award, on special dispensation of the Festivals President.The producers of feature films participating in Competition at the Festival de Cannes agree to refrain from entering their films in competition at other international motion picture events, should their films be awarded the Palme dOr or the Grand Prix.  Films chosen to be part of the Official Selection agree to use the "Official Selection" logotype of the Festival de Cannes on all publicity. Moreover, when publicising awards, the award winners and distribution companies agree to use the exact wording of the awards as set out in the logo guidelines of the Festival de Cannes.The President of the Association Française du Festival International du Film has the power to settle all cases not covered by the present rules and regulations. 

SHORT FILM CORNER | RENDEZ-VOUS INDUSTRY:Your film must have been produced after June 1st 2024;Your film length must not exceed 35 min;Your film must not have been broadcasted on Internet;The film must not have been registered in the last past edition of the Short Film Corner;Films must be in original version with English subtitles or in English.

Jury Profile
Jury Name Judge photos Jury Profile

Authorization type

    Proxy Submission

Duration (several sessions)

    79

Film Festival Features

  • Red Carpet
  • Celebrity Guest
  • Filmscreen
  • Cash prize
  • Trophy
  • Copyright transactions
  • Certificate

Dates & Deadlines

  • 2025-09-15
    Submission start time

  • 2025-02-15
    LA CINEF Deadline

  • 2025-03-01
    Short Film Deadline

  • 2025-03-12
    Feature Deadline

  • 2026-05-01
    Pre-selection screening date for New Film Circle

  • 2026-05-01
    Submission end time

  • 2026-04-15
    Finalist notification start time

  • 2026-04-15
    Finalist notification end time

  • 2026-05-13
    Award ceremony start time

  • 2026-05-24
    Award ceremony end time

Categories and fees

  • SHORT FILMS(IN COMPETITION)
    Video length :1 - 15
    Short films that do not exceed 15 minutes in length, including credits.The Selection Committee will screen films: •WITHOUT subtitles if the original language is French or English. •WITH French or English subtitles for all other original languages.

    2025/03/01
    Short Film Deadline

    Standard: 0 Dollar

  • FEATURES IN COMPETITION, OUT OF COMPETITION, UN CERTAIN REGARD
    Video length :61 - 240
    In order to be selected as a feature film, your film must be more than 60 minutes long.

    2025/03/12
    Feature Deadline

    Standard: 63.5 Dollar

    Student: 63.5 Dollar

  • LA CINEF
    Video length :0 - 60
    Unless a special dispensation is granted, a film must comply with the following conditions in order to be submitted: have been directed by a student within his/her film school curriculum have been made during the 18 months preceding the Festival have not been presented at major international festivals. However a film can have been shown at a festival in its country of origin not exceed 60 minutes in running-time.
    Films made at Junior secondary school or High school level are not accepted for selection in this section of the Festival, only films produced in the context of a Film school or Film studies department of a University are eligible. Documentaries are not accepted. The Jury designates three awards. The winners will receive a €15,000 grant for the First Prize, €11,250 for the Second and €7,500 for the Third. In case of a joint award, the amount will be divided equally. The first prize winner of the Cinéfondation is also guaranteed that their first feature film will be presented at the Festival de Cannes.

    2025/02/15
    LA CINEF Deadline

    Standard: 0 Dollar

  • SHORT FILM CORNER | RENDEZ-VOUS INDUSTRY
    Video length :0 - 35
    Your film must have been produced after June 1st 2024;Your film length must not exceed 35 min;Your film must not have been broadcasted on Internet;The film must not have been registered in the last past edition of the Short Film Corner;Films must be in original version with English subtitles or in English.

    2025/02/15
    Short Film Corner Deadline

    Standard: 61.5 Dollar

    Student: 61.5 Dollar

  • 新影圈预选征片(长片)
    Video length :60 - 200
    新影圈选片团队将与戛纳电影节总监、戛纳影评人周总监、戛纳导演双周总监、戛纳基石单元总监完成会面,面对面推荐中国影片,影片可直接参加戛纳电影节。

    2026/05/01
    Pre-selection screening date for New Film Circle

    Standard: 63.5 Dollar

    Student: 63.5 Dollar

  • 新影圈预选征片(短片)
    Video length :1 - 15
    新影圈选片团队将与戛纳电影节总监、戛纳影评人周总监、戛纳导演双周总监、戛纳基石单元总监完成会面,面对面推荐中国影片,影片可直接参加戛纳电影节。

    2026/05/01
    Pre-selection screening date for New Film Circle

    Standard: 0 Dollar

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