Cannes International Film Festival
200px
Location	Cannes, France
Language	International
http://www.festival-cannes.com

The Cannes International Film Festival (French: Le Festival International du Film de Cannes or just Festival de Cannes), is an annual film festival held in Cannes, France, which previews new films of all genres including documentaries from around the world. Founded in 1946, it is the world's most prestigious and publicized film festival.^[1][2][3] The invitation-only festival is held annually (usually in May) at the Palais des Festivals et des Congrès.

The 2012 Cannes Film Festival took place from May 16 to May 27, 2012^[4]. The President of the Jury was the Italian film director Nanni Moretti.

History[link]

The Cannes Film Festival has its origins in the late 1930s when Jean Zay, the French Minister of National Education, on the proposal of Philippe Erlanger and with the support of the British and Americans,^{[clarification needed]} set up an international cinematographic festival. In 1947, the festival was held as the "Festival du film de Cannes", where films from sixteen countries were presented. Moreover, the principle of equality was introduced, so that the jury was to be made up only of one representative per country.^[5] Also, this year the festival was held at the made-for-the-occasion Palais des Festivals, although the roof was unfinished and blew off during a storm. The festival was not held in 1948 and 1950 on account of budgetary problems. In 1951, owing to better relations between France and Italy, the Cannes Festival was moved to Spring, while the Mostra remained in Autumn.

In 1955 the Golden Palm was created, replacing the Grand Prix du Festival which had been given until that year. In 1957 Dolores del Rio was the first female member of the jury as a Sélection officielle – Member. In 1959 the Marché du Film (Film Market) was founded, giving the festival a commercial character and facilitating exchanges between sellers and buyers in the film industry. Today it has become the first international platform for film commerce.^[6]

In 1962 the International Critics' Week was born, created by the French Union of Film Critics as the first parallel section of the Cannes Film Festival. Its goal was to showcase first and second works by directors from all over the world, not succumbing to commercial tendencies.^[7] In 1965 an hommage was paid to Jean Cocteau after his death, and he was named Honorary President for life. The next year, Olivia de Havilland was named the first female president of the festival.

The 1968 festival was halted on 19 May 1968. Some directors, such as Carlos Saura and Milos Forman, had withdrawn their films from the competition. On 18 May, filmmaker Louis Malle along with a group of directors took over the large room of the Palais and interrupted the projections in solidarity with students and labour on strike throughout France,^[8] and in protest to the eviction of the then President of the Cinémathèque Française. The filmmakers achieved the reinstatement of the President, and they founded the Film Directors' Society (SRF) that same year.^[9] In 1969 the SRF, led by Pierre-Henri Deleau created the Directors' Fortnight, a new non-competitive section that programs a selection of films from around the world, distinguished by the independent judgment displayed in the choice of films.^[10]

The "Palais des Festivals" (2000)

During the 1970s, important changes occurred in the Festival. In 1972 Robert Favre Le Bret was named the new President, and Maurice Bessy the Managing Director. He immediately introduced an important change in the selection of the participating films. Until that date, the different countries chose which films would represent them in the festival. Bessy created one committee to select French films, and another for foreign films.^[11] In 1978 Gilles Jacob assumed the President position, introducing the Caméra d'Or award and the Un Certain Regard section. Other changes were the decrease of length of the festival down to thirteen days, reducing the number of selected films thus; also, until that point the Jury was composed by Film Academics, and Jacob started to introduce celebrities and professionals from the film industry.^[12]

In 1983 a new, much bigger Palais des Festivals et des Congrès was built to host the Festival. It was nicknamed "The Bunker" and provoked many reactions against it.^[13] In 1984 Pierre Viot replaced Robert Favre Le Bret as President of the Festival.

Stars posing for photographers are a part of Cannes folklore.

It wasn't until 1995 that Gilles Jacob created the last section of the Official Selection: la Cinéfondation. Its aim was to support the creation of works of cinema in the world and to contribute to the entry of the new scenario writers in the circle of the celebrities.^[14] The Cinéfondation was completed in 2000 with La Résidence and in 2005 L'Atelier. The Festival's current President, Gilles Jacob, was appointed in 2000, and in 2002 the Festival officially adopted the name Festival de Cannes.

Impact[link]

The festival has become an important showcase for European films. Jill Forbes and Sarah Street argue in European Cinema: An Introduction, that Cannes "became...extremely important for critical and commercial interests and for European attempts to sell films on the basis of their artistic quality" (page 20).^[15] Forbes and Street also point out that, along with other festivals such as Venice and Berlin, Cannes offers an opportunity to determine a particular country's image of its cinema and generally foster the notion that European cinema is "art" cinema.^[15]

Additionally, given massive media exposure, the non-public festival is attended by many movie stars and is a popular venue for film producers to launch their new films and attempt to sell their works to the distributors who come from all over the globe.

Programmes[link]

The Cannes Film Festival is organised in various sections:^[16]

• The Official Selection – The main event of the festival.
  • In Competition – The twenty films competing for the Palme d'Or. They are projected in the Théâtre Lumière.
  • Un Certain Regard – Twenty films selected from cultures near and far; original and different works. They are projected at the Salle Debussy.
  • Out of Competition – These films are also projected in the Théâtre Lumière but do not compete for the main prize.
  • Special Screenings – The selection committee chooses for these films an environment specially adapted to their particular identity.
  • Cinéfondation – About fifteen shorts and medium-length motion pictures from film schools over the world are presented at the Salle Buñuel.
  • Short Films – The shorts competing for the Short Film Palme d'Or are presented at the Buñuel and Debussy theatres. There are approximately 10 films in this competition.
• Parallel Sections – These are non-competitive programmes dedicated to discovering other aspects of cinema.
  • Cannes Classics – It celebrates the heritage of film, aiming to highlight works of the past, presented with brand new or restored prints.
  • Tous les Cinémas du Monde – It showcases the vitality and diversity of cinema across the world. Each day, one country is invited to present a range of features and shorts in celebration of its unique culture, identity and recent film works.
  • Caméra d'Or – It rewards the best first film of the Festival, choosing among the debutants' works among the Official Selection, the Directors' Fortnight and the International Critics' Week selections.
  • Cinéma de la Plage – Screening of Cannes Classics and Out of Competition films for the mass public on Macé beach, preceded by a programme dedicated to film music.
• Other Sections – Produced by outside organizations during the Cannes Festival.
  • Directors' Fortnight
  • International Critics' Week
• Events
  • Marché du Film – The busiest movie market of the world.
  • Masterclasses – Given in public by world renowned filmmakers.
  • Tributes – Honors internationally renowned artists with the presentation of the Festival Trophee following the screening of one of their films.
  • Producers Network – An opportunity to make international co-productions.
  • Exhibitions – Each year, an artist, a body of work or a cinematographic theme becomes the focus of an exhibition that diversifies or illustrates the event's programme.
  • 60th Anniversary – Events organised in 2007 dedicated to the 60th anniversary of the Festival.

Juries[link]

Prior to the beginning of each event, the Festival's board of directors appoints the juries who hold sole responsibility for choosing which films will receive a Cannes award. Jurors are chosen from a wide range of international artists, based on their body of work and respect from their peers.^[17]

• Feature Films – An international jury composed of a President and various film or art personalities, who determine the prizes for the feature films in Competition.
• Cinéfondation and Short Films – Composed of a President and four film personalities. It awards the Short Film Palme d'Or as well as the three best films of the Cinéfondation.
• Un Certain Regard – Composed of a President, journalists, students in cinema, and industry professionals. It awards the Un Certain Regard Prize for best film and can, moreover, honour two other films.
• Caméra d'Or – Composed of a President, as well as film directors, technicians, and French and international critics. They award the best film in any category.

Awards[link]

Palme d'Or attributed to Apocalypse Now at the 1979 Cannes Film Festival

The most prestigious award given out at Cannes is the Palme d'Or ("Golden Palm") for the best film.

• Competition
  • Palme d'Or – Golden Palm
  • Grand Prix – Grand Prize of the Festival
  • Prix du Jury – Jury Prize
  • Palme d'Or du court métrage – Best Short Film
  • Prix d'interprétation féminine – Best Actress
  • Prix d'interprétation masculine – Best Actor
  • Prix de la mise en scène – Best Director
  • Prix du scénario – Best Screenplay
• Other Sections
  • Prix Un Certain Regard – Young talent, innovative and audacious works
  • Cinéfondation prizes – Student films
  • Caméra d'Or – Best first feature film
• Given by Independent Entities
  • Prix de la FIPRESCI – International Federation of Film Critics Prize
  • Prix Vulcain – Awarded to a technical artist by the CST
  • International Critics' Week Prizes
  • Prize of the Ecumenical Jury
  • Palm Dog, for best canine performance.^[18]
  • Queer Palm, for LGBT-related films.^[19]

See also[link]

	France portal
	Film portal

• Directors' Fortnight
• List of Palme d'Or winners
• Cannes Lions International Advertising Festival

References[link]

Further reading[link]

• Cannes: Fifty Years of Sun, Sex & Celluloid : Behind the Scenes at the World's Most Famous Film Festival by Peter Bart (Miramax, 1997)
• Cannes – A Festival Virgin's Guide by Benjamin Craig (Cinemagine Media Publishing, 2004)
• Hollywood on the Riviera: The Inside Story of the Cannes Film Festival by Cari Beauchamp and Henri Behar (William Morrow & Co, 1992)

External links[link]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Cannes Film Festival

• Cannes Film Festival official website
• Cannes Film Festival Blog
• Cannes Film Festival: A Potted History
• Radio France Internationale coverage of the Cannes Film Festival 2010 (English)
• Radio France Internationale coverage of the Cannes Film Festival 2011(English)
• Footage from the 1958 Cannes Film Festival
• Cannes – A Festival Virgin's Guide – Detailed festival history and information for attendees

Coordinates: 43°33′03.10″N 7°01′02.10″E / 43.550861°N 7.01725°E / 43.550861; 7.01725

Cannes
Cannes France.jpg
Cannes
Location within Provence-A.-C.d'A. region  Cannes
Administration
Country	France
Region	Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur
Department	Alpes-Maritimes
Arrondissement	Grasse
Mayor	Bernard Brochan (2008–2014)
Statistics
Elevation	0–260 m (0–850 ft)
Land area1	19.62 km2 (7.58 sq mi)
Population2	72,939  (2008)
- Density	3,718 /km2 (9,630 /sq mi)
INSEE/Postal code	06029/ 06400
1 French Land Register data, which excludes lakes, ponds, glaciers > 1 km² (0.386 sq mi or 247 acres) and river estuaries.
2 Population without double counting: residents of multiple communes (e.g., students and military personnel) only counted once.

Coordinates: 43°33′05″N 7°00′46″E / 43.5513°N 7.0128°E / 43.5513; 7.0128

Cannes (French pronunciation: [kan], in Occitan Canas) is a city located in the French Riviera. It is a busy tourist destination and host of the annual Cannes Film Festival. It is a commune of France located in the Alpes-Maritimes department.

The city is also famous for its various luxury shops, restaurants, and hotels. On 3 November 2011 it played host to the G20 organisation of industrialised nations.

History[link]

By the 2nd century BC the Ligurian Oxybii established a settlement here known as Aegitna. Historians are unsure what the name means. The area was a fishing village used as a port of call between the Lérins Islands.

Cannes seen from Spot Satellite

In 69 AD it became the scene of violent conflict between the troops of Othos and Vitellius.^[1]

In the 10th century the town was known as Canua^{[citation needed]}. The name may derive from "canna", a reed. Canua was probably the site of a small Ligurian port, and later a Roman outpost on Le Suquet hill, suggested by Roman tombs discovered here. Le Suquet housed an 11th-century tower which overlooked swamps where the city now stands. Most of the ancient activity, especially protection, was on the Lérins islands and the history of Cannes is the history of the islands.

An attack by the Saracens in 891, who remained until the end of the 10th century, devastated the country around Canua. The insecurity of the Lérins islands forced the monks to settle on the mainland, at the Suquet. Construction of a castle in 1035 fortified the city by then known as Cannes, and at the end of the 11th century construction was started on two towers on the Lérins islands. One took a century to build; the other, three.

Around 1530, Cannes detached from the monks who had controlled the city for hundreds of years and became independent.

During the 18th century, the Spanish and British both tried to gain control of the Lérins Islands, but were chased away by the French. The islands were later controlled by many, such as Jean-Honoré Alziary, and the Bishop of Fréjus. The islands had many different purposes; at the end of the 19th century, one was a hospital for soldiers in the Crimean War.

Henry Brougham, 1st Baron Brougham and Vaux bought land at the Croix des Gardes and constructed the villa Eleonore-Louise. His work to improve living conditions attracted the English aristocracy, who also built winter residences.

At the end of the 19th century, several railways were completed. This prompted the arrival of streetcars. In Cannes, projects such as the Boulevard Carnot, the rue d'Antibes and the Carlton Hotel on the Promenade de la Croisette were carried out. After the closure of the Casino des Fleurs (hôtel Gallia), a luxury establishment was built for the rich winter clientele, the Casino Municipal next to the pier Albert-Edouard. This casino was demolished and replaced by the new Palace in 1979.

With the 20th century came new luxury hotels such as the Miramar and the Martinez. The city was modernised with a sports centre, street cars, a post office, and schools. There were fewer British and German tourists after the First World War but more Americans. Winter tourism gave way to summer tourism and the summer casino at the Palm Beach was constructed.

The city council had the idea of an internation film festival shortly before World War II. The first opened on 20 September 1946, held in the Casino Municipal.

Geography[link]

Population

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Climate[link]

Cannes has a Mediterranean climate and the city enjoys 12 hours of sunshine per day during summer (May to September), while in winter (December to February) the weather is mild. Both seasons see a relatively low rainfall and most rain occurs during October and November, when 110 mm falls.

Cannes summers are long and warm, with summer daytime temperatures regularly hitting 30 °C (86 °F), while average temperatures are about 25 °C (77 °F). Temperatures remain high from June to September, the busiest time of the year. Despite the hot daytime temperatures, a Mediterranean breeze keeps summer evenings comfortably cool.

Temperatures drop below 10 °C (50 °F) for only three months of the year (December to February). The spring and autumn are also warm, although more suited to those who prefer slightly cooler weather.

Panorama of the waterfront

Boulevard de la Croisette along the waterfront.

Economy[link]

The Cannes Mandelieu aero centre

The area around Cannes has developed into a high-tech cluster. The technopolis of Sophia Antipolis lies in the hills beyond Cannes. The Film Festival is a major event for the industry. There is an annual television festival in the last week in September.

The economic environment is based on tourism (business fairs), trade and aviation. Cannes has 6,500 companies, of which 3,000 are traders, artisans and service providers. In 2006, 421 new companies were registered.

Cannes hosts the Cannes Mandelieu Space Center, headquarters of Thales Alenia Space, the first European satellite manufacturer.

Landmarks[link]

The Promenade de la Croisette is the waterfront avenue with palm trees. La Croisette is known for picturesque beaches and for restaurants, cafés and boutiques. La Suquet, the old town, provides a good view of La Croisette. The fortified tower and Chapel of St Anne house the Musée de la Castre. The Man in the Iron Mask was imprisoned on the Île Sainte-Marguerite.

Museums[link]

The Musée d'Art et d'Histoire de Provence houses artifacts from prehistoric to present, in an 18th century mansion. The Musée de la Castre has objects from the Pacific Atolls, Peruvian relics and Mayan pottery. Other venues include the Musée de la Marine, Musée de la Mer, Musée de la Photographie and Musée International de la Parfumerie.

The villas of Cannes[link]

Nineteenth-century Cannes can still be seen in its grand villas, built to reflect the wealth and standing of their owners and inspired by anything from medieval castles to Roman villas. Lord Brougham’s Italianate Villa Eléonore Louise (one of the first in Cannes) was built between 1835 and 1839. Also known as the Quartier des Anglais, this is the oldest residential area in Cannes. Another landmark is the Villa Fiésole (known today as the Villa Domergue) designed by Jean-Gabriel Domergue in the style of Fiesole, near Florence. The villas are not open to the public. Villa Domergue may be visited on appointment.

Île Sainte-Marguerite (St Marguerite Island)[link]

It took "The Man in the Iron Mask" 11 years to leave this tiny, forested island. The mysterious individual was believed to be of noble blood, but his identity has never been proven. His cell can be visited in the Fort of St Marguerite, now renamed the Musée de la Mer (Museum of the Sea). This museum also houses discoveries from shipwrecks off the island, including Roman (first century BC) and Saracen (10th century AD) ceramics.

Île Saint-Honorat (St Honorat Island)[link]

Cistercian monks are the only inhabitants of the smaller, southern St Honorat Island. Monks have inhabited the island since AD410 and, at the height of their powers, owned Cannes, Mougins and Vallauris. Medieval vestiges remain in the stark church, which is open to the public, and in the ruins of the 11th-century monastery on the sea’s edge. The monks divide their time between prayer and producing red and white wines.

Theatre and music[link]

Cannes is not renowned for traditional theatre. However, small venues stage productions and host short sketches during the annual International Actors’ Performance Festival. Popular theaters include the Espace Miramar and the Alexandre III.

Festivals and show events[link]

• The Cannes Film Festival (French: le Festival international du film de Cannes or simply le Festival de Cannes), founded in 1939, is held annually, usually in May.
• Midem, the foremost trade show for the music industry
• MIPIM, the worlds largest property-related trade show
• Cannes Lions International Advertising Festival
• Carnival on the Riviera is an annual parade through the streets to mark the 21-day period prior to Shrove Tuesday.
• The International Festival of Games is festival of bridge, belote, backgammon, chess, draughts, tarot and more (February).
• Festival de la Plaisance is an event for boating enthusiasts in the Vieux Port (September).
• The International Actors’ Performance Festival: comedy sketches and performances by fringe artists
• The International Luxury Travel Market brings together under one roof the top international luxury travel providers and suppliers from all around the world.[1]
• Le Festival d’Art Pyrotechnique is a magnificent annual fireworks competition held in the summer at the Bay of Cannes.
• Mipcom and MIPTV, held in October and April respectively, the world's most important trade markets for the television industry.
• The Pan-African Film Festival, held in early April and featuring films from the African diaspora

Transport[link]

Nice Côte d’Azur Airport

Located 24 km (15 mi) from Cannes, Nice Côte d’Azur Airport has close to 10 million passengers a year. The smaller Cannes – Mandelieu Airport is also nearby. CannesExpress operate a regular door-2-door Airport Shuttle service between Nice Airport and hotels/accommodations in Cannes. Price per seat is 20 Euros.

Rail

TGV rail services to the Gare de Cannes provide access from major French cities, including Nice, Marseille, Lyon, Paris and Toulouse. Other cities with rail connections include Brussels (6 hours), Milan (5 hours), Basel (10 hours), Rome (10 hours) and Venice (10 hours). The minor train stations Gare de Cannes-La Bocca and Gare du Bosquet serve only regional destinations.

Bus

Coach services arrive at the Gare Routière de Cannes, in the centre of the city, near the Town Hall. Companies from abroad include Eurolines and Agence Phoceens. Regional services are by Rapides Côte d’Azur and CTM, with services from Nice and Grasse/Mandelieu respectively. Local bus services are provided by Bus Azur.

Ferry

Ferries are available in Nice harbour from Bastia and Calvi in Corsica, with services provided by SNCM Ferryterranée and Corsica Ferries. From Bastia, the journey is 4 hours, 45 minutes on conventional ferries and 3 hours, 40 minutes on express ferries, while from Calvi, conventional vessels take 3 hours, 45 minutes and express vessels take 2 hours, 45 minutes. An average of four ferries a day sail on these routes, with more during summer.

Panorama of Cannes Waterfront, from which many ferries can be caught.

Twin cities[link]

Cannes is twinned with:

• 

  The aerial view of Cannes

• Cannes Marina.jpg

  The marina at Cannes

• Jardins de la croisette, Cannes.jpg

  The Croisette gardens

• Ile st honorat.jpg

  St Honorat Island

• Cannes Town Hall .jpg

  Hôtel de Ville (The City Hall)

• Rocks on the beach in Cannes.jpg

  The rocky beaches in Cannes

• 

  The old harbour

See also[link]

• Communes of the Alpes-Maritimes department

References[link]

• INSEE

External links[link]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Cannes

• Cannes at the Open Directory Project (English)
• Information and photos from Provence Beyond web site
• Photos fine art of Cannes
• The City Hall official website (French)
• Cannes Film Festival official website (French) (English)
• News site for travellers to Cannes (English)
• Panoramic virtual tour of the Cannes seafront
• Photos, videos, paintings of Cannes and Cannes film Festival (frenc/english and more)

v t e Communes of the Alpes-Maritimes department Aiglun Amirat Andon Antibes Ascros Aspremont Auribeau-sur-Siagne Auvare Bairols Le Bar-sur-Loup Beaulieu-sur-Mer Beausoleil Belvédère Bendejun Berre-les-Alpes Beuil Bézaudun-les-Alpes Biot Blausasc La Bollène-Vésubie Bonson Bouyon Breil-sur-Roya Briançonnet La Brigue Le Broc Cabris Cagnes-sur-Mer Caille Cannes Le Cannet Cantaron Cap-d'Ail Carros Castagniers Castellar Castillon Caussols Châteauneuf-d'Entraunes Châteauneuf-Grasse Châteauneuf-Villevieille Cipières Clans Coaraze La Colle-sur-Loup Collongues Colomars Conségudes Contes Courmes Coursegoules La Croix-sur-Roudoule Cuébris Daluis Drap Duranus Entraunes L'Escarène Escragnolles Èze Falicon Les Ferres Fontan Gars Gattières La Gaude Gilette Gorbio Gourdon Grasse Gréolières Guillaumes Ilonse Isola Lantosque Levens Lieuche Lucéram Malaussène Mandelieu-la-Napoule Marie Le Mas Massoins Menton Mouans-Sartoux Mougins Moulinet Les Mujouls Nice Opio Pégomas Peille Peillon La Penne Péone Peymeinade Pierlas Pierrefeu Puget-Rostang Puget-Théniers Revest-les-Roches Rigaud Rimplas Roquebillière Roquebrune-Cap-Martin Roquefort-les-Pins Roquesteron Roquestéron-Grasse La Roquette-sur-Siagne La Roquette-sur-Var Roubion Roure Le Rouret Saint-André-de-la-Roche Saint-Antonin Saint-Auban Saint-Blaise Saint-Cézaire-sur-Siagne Saint-Dalmas-le-Selvage Sainte-Agnès Saint-Étienne-de-Tinée Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat Saint-Jeannet Saint-Laurent-du-Var Saint-Léger Saint-Martin-d'Entraunes Saint-Martin-du-Var Saint-Martin-Vésubie Saint-Paul-de-Vence Saint-Sauveur-sur-Tinée Saint-Vallier-de-Thiey Sallagriffon Saorge Sauze Séranon Sigale Sospel Spéracèdes Tende Théoule-sur-Mer Thiéry Le Tignet Toudon Touët-de-l'Escarène Touët-sur-Var La Tour Tourette-du-Château Tournefort Tourrette-Levens Tourrettes-sur-Loup La Trinité La Turbie Utelle Valbonne Valdeblore Valderoure Vallauris Venanson Vence Villars-sur-Var Villefranche-sur-Mer Villeneuve-d'Entraunes Villeneuve-Loubet

Film festivals
List of film festivals Europe North/Central America Oceania Documentary film festivals New Media art festivals

A film festival is an organised, extended presentation of films in one or more movie theaters or screening venues, usually in a single locality. Increasingly film festivals show part of their films to the public by adding outdoor movie screenings.^[1] The films may be of recent date and, depending upon the focus of the individual festival, can include international releases as well as films produced by the organisers' domestic film industry. Sometimes there is a focus on a specific film-maker or genre (e.g., film noir) or subject matter (e.g., horror film festivals). A number of film festivals specialise in short films, each with its defined maximum length. Film festivals are typically annual events.

History[link]

The first major film festival was held in Venice in 1932; the other major and oldest film festivals of the world are: Cannes Film Festival (1939), Festival del film Locarno (1946), Karlovy Vary International Film Festival (1946), Edinburgh International Film Festival (1947), Melbourne International Film Festival (1951), Berlin International Film Festival (1951) and Toronto International Film Festival (1976).^[2]

The Edinburgh International Film Festival in the UK was established in 1947 and is the longest continually running film festival in the world. Raindance Film Festival is the UK's largest celebration of independent film-making and is taking place in London in October.^[3]

The first North American high film festival was the Columbus International Film & Video Festival, also known as The Chris Awards, held in 1953. According to the Film Arts Foundation in San Francisco, "The Chris Awards (is) one of the most prestigious documentary, educational, business and informational competitions in the U.S; (it is) the oldest of its kind in North America and celebrating its 54th year."

It was followed four years later by the San Francisco International Film Festival held in March 1957 whose emphasis was on feature-length dramatic films. The festival played a major role in introducing foreign films to American audiences. Among the films shown in its founding year were Akira Kurosawa's Throne of Blood and Satyajit Ray's Pather Panchali.

Today there are thousands of film festivals around the world, ranging from high profile festivals such as Sundance Film Festival (Park City, UT) to horror festivals such as Terror Film Festival (Philadelphia, PA), and the first U.S. film festival dedicated to honoring the impact of music in film: the Park City Film Music Festival: http://www.PCFMF.com.

Digital feature film distribution began in 2005, along with the arrival of the world's first online film festival, the GreenCine Online Film Festival, sponsored by DivX.^[4]

Entry fee[link]

The Berlin Film Festival in 2007

Most film festivals require filmmakers to pay an entry fee to have their works considered for screening. This is especially commonplace among larger film festivals, such as the Cannes Film Festival, Toronto International Film Festival, Sundance Film Festival, South by Southwest and even smaller "boutique" festivals such as the Miami International Film Festival and the British Urban Film Festival in London.

However, not all film festivals require an entry fee. Rotterdam Film Festival, for example, does not charge an entry fee to submit work. There are also many smaller film festivals in the United States, such as the Stony Brook Film Festival in Long Island, New York, the Northwest Filmmakers' Festival, or the Sicilian Film Festival in Miami, Florida, which do not charge entry fees; however, acceptance of films is usually more limited, and such film festivals do not necessarily attract big names in their audiences like Sundance and Telluride do. In some cases, such as the Portland International Film Festival, there is an entry fee, but it is waived for filmmakers within a certain region, such as the Northwestern United States.

Significant or notable festivals[link]

Red carpet of the Cannes Film Festival at the Palais des Festivals et des Congrès, Cannes.

Traverse City Film Festival and their giant inflatable movie screen

The three most prestigious film festivals are commonly regarded to be that of Cannes, Berlin and Venice;^[5] these festivals are sometimes called the "Big Three."^[6] Polish director Krzysztof Kieślowski's The Three Colors Trilogy were each made for these festivals, with Blue for Venice, White for Berlin, and Red for Cannes.^[5]

The Toronto International Film Festival is North America's most popular festival. Time wrote it had "grown from its place as the most influential fall film festival to the most influential film festival, period."^[7] Seattle International Film Festival is credited as being the largest film festival in the USA, regularly showing over 400 films in a month across the city.^[8] The Sundance Film Festival, Tribeca Film Festival, New York Film Festival, Montreal World Film Festival and Gimli Film Festival are also major festivals in North America, as is the Vancouver International Film Festival, the fifth largest film festival in North America.

• "A" Festivals: The festivals in Cannes, Venice, Berlin, Shanghai, Moscow, San Sebastián, Montréal, Locarno (since 2002), Karlovy Vary, Mar del Plata, Cairo, Tokyo, and Warsaw are listed as "A festivals", or "category one" by the International Federation of Film Producers Associations (FIAPF).^[9]

• Experimental films: Ann Arbor Film Festival was started in 1963. It is the oldest continually operated experimental film festival in North America and has become one of the premiere film festivals for independent and, primarily, experimental filmmakers to showcase their work.^{[citation needed]}

• Independent films: In the US, Telluride Film Festival,^{[citation needed]} Sundance Film Festival,^[10][11] Austin's South by Southwest, and New York City's Tribeca Film Festival, are all considered significant festivals for independent film. The Zero Film Festival is significant as the first and only festival exclusive to self-financed filmmakers.^[12] The biggest independent film festival in the UK is Raindance Film Festival.^[3]

• North American: The San Francisco International Film Festival, started in 1957, is the oldest continuously running film festival in the Americas. It highlights current trends in international filmmaking and video production with an emphasis on work that has not yet secured U.S. distribution. The Toronto International Film Festival, begun in 1976, is regarded North America's most major and most prestigious film festival, and the most widely attended worldwide. Toronto's Hot Docs is the leading North American documentary film festival. Toronto also has the largest amount of film festivals in the world, ranging from cultural, independent, and historic films. The largest festival, in terms of the number of features shown, is the Seattle International Film Festival, screening 270 features, and approximately 150 short films.^{[citation needed]} The Whistler Film Festival, with is amazing location and breathtaking scenery, is getting bigger every year with more than 80 screenings and a well-rounded Industry Summit. Meanwhile, the New York Film Festival only shows a few films in each year, but it still has big impact in the United States.^{[citation needed]} The Sundance film festival is a major festival for independent film.

• Latin American significance: The Cartagena Film Festival, founded by Victor Nieto in 1960, is the oldest film festival in Latin America.^[13] The Festival de Gramado (or Gramado Film Festival) Gramado, Brazil along with the Guadalajara International Film Festival in Guadalajara, Mexico are considered to be the most important film festivals of Latin America. It was first held in 1973, awarding Latin American films. The Huelva Ibero-American Film Festival has been held since 1975 in that Spanish city. While the Expresión en Corto International Film Festival is the largest competitive film festival in Mexico, specializing in emerging talents, and is held each year during the last week of July in the two colonial cities of San Miguel de Allende and Guanajuato. Among Spanish speaking countries the Dominican International Film Festival is held annually in Puerto Plata, DR, the Valdivia International Film Festival is held annually in the city of Valdivia. It is arguable the most important film festival in Chile.^{[citation needed]}

• Animation: Founded in 1960, the Annecy International Animated Film Festival is the oldest international film festival dedicated exclusively to animation. The others are: Zagreb (f. 1972) Ottawa (f. 1976), Hiroshima (f. 1985), KROK (f. 1989), and Anima Mundi (f. 1992). There are also a variety of regional festivals in various countries.

• Asian Film Festival: Most notable amongst the Asian Film Festivals are the Osian's-Cinefan Film Festival, which was recently expanded to include Arab Cinema as well, and the Hong Kong International Film Festival (HKIFF) and Busan International Film Festival (BIFF).

• African festivals Significant African festivals based on the continent include the biannual Panafrican Film and Television Festival of Ouagadougou FESPACO in Burkina Faso, the annual Durban International Film Festival which has grown in importance for industry with the addition of a co-production forum and Talent Campus.

• European festivals The biggest European festival is the Cannes film festival in France along with Berlin and Venice.

• Art and Technology: The Palo Alto International Film Festival, a program of the Palo Alto Institute, is the only film festival in the United States to celebrate the convergence of art and technology, by focusing on the influence of emerging technologies on cinema.

• Emerging Filmmakers: The KahBang Film Festival, part of the KahBang Music-Art-Film Festival in Bangor, Maine, is one of the newest film festivals in the United States to discover and showcase the work from Emerging Filmmakers throughout the world. Their programming continues to be unique by also showcasing the best new Comedy features, Music Documentaries, and Maine made films. Each year they honor one notable actor, actress, or filmmaker with the "Kevin Norwood Bacon Award for Achievement in Cinema", acknowledging the success the recipient has achieved in being so closely connected to Kevin Bacon. One of their films is screened in the KahBang Off Screen Category, "Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon" which connects the honored back to the man himself.

See also[link]

• List of film festivals
• List of short film festival
• Outdoor cinema

References[link]

Further reading[link]

• Turan, Kenneth, Sundance to Sarajevo: Film Festivals and the World They Made, Los Angeles, University of California Press, 2002, hardback, ISBN 0-520-21867-1.
• Watson, Nigel, "The Sense and Sensationalism of Film Festivals", Talking Pictures website

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