It is now a given that the city of Cannes is inseparable from the International Film Festival, which has taken place there every year since 1946. But the choice of this small town in the Alpes-Maritimes was not obvious, and the festival almost took place at the other end of France. So how did the choice come about?
To find out, we have to go back to the pre-war period, in 1938, when the Venice Film Festival was the only international film festival in the world. That year, for the sixth edition, Les Dieux du Stade won the Grand Prix, creating a worldwide controversy. And for good reason, the Nazi propaganda documentary by Leni Riefenstahl celebrates the myth of the Aryan and the prize is awarded following pressure from Adolf Hitler himself .
For the other participating countries, this is unacceptable, and France decides to create its own festival, with the objective of being free of any political influence. And to do this, it is necessary to choose a city at the level of Venice, where the Mostra takes place. Not easy, but several candidates stand out: Aix-Les-Bains, Le Touquet, Deauville or Vichy. But two cities stand out: Biarritz and Cannes. At first, the seaside resort on the Basque coast was chosen, but three months before the start of the festival, Cannes pulled out all the stops and offered much higher subsidies to organize the event. It is thus elected on May 31, 1939, for a beginning of festivities fixed on August 31.
However, this first edition will never see the day, because of the beginning of the Second World War. It was not until 1946 that the Cannes Festival was finally born. The rest is history.
Cannes Festival 2024: The latest news and information about the 77th edition
The Cannes Film Festival returns to the Croisette for its 77th edition from May 14 to 25, 2024. Click here for all the latest news and information! [Read more]
Cannes Festival 2024: The latest news and information about the 77th edition
