The Cannes Film Festival is one of the most prestigious international film festivals in the world and is held in Cannes, France, featuring acclaimed actors, directors and producers. This year, the 77th edition of the festival is being held from May 14 to May 25.
The Cannes Film Festival’s history traces back to Italy under the rule of Mussolini, when the Venice Film Festival was affected by propaganda and censorship. At the time, films were not judged on talent alone but rather on the subject matter and its stance on fascism, democracy and nationalism. In response, the French government decided to host the first Cannes Film Festival in 1946 to replace the Venice Film Festival. Cannes fought censorship and aimed to foster a collaboration between all film-producing countries. The festival gained national acclaim, becoming the largest international film festival in the world.
Similar to the Met Gala, the Cannes Film Festival features celebrities and notable figures dressed in couture gowns and accessories. A recognizable example is Bella Hadid’s red carpet outfit during the 2021 festival, which featured a Schiaparelli necklace shaped like lungs.
One of the most distinguished awards at the Cannes Film Festival is the Palm d’Or, or “Golden Palm,” which is given to the best film. Some past notable award winners include the 2019 film “Parasite” and the 2013 film “Blue is the Warmest Colour.” It was recently announced that Meryl Streep will rteceive the Honorary Palm d’Or on the opening night of the Cannes Film Festival for her long-lasting and influential career in film.
Meryl Streep is most famous for starring in “Sophie’s Choice,” “The Devil Wears Prada” and “Mamma Mia.” In a statement, the festival organizers said “Meryl Streep is part of our collective imagination, our shared love of cinema.”
Along with Meryl Streep, another recipient of the Honorary Palm d’Or award are the Studio Ghibli animators, creators of animated films such as “My Friendly Neighbor Totoro,” “Kiki’s Delivery Service” and “Howl’s Moving Castle.”
Iris Knobloch, President of the Festival de Cannes, and Thierry Frémaux, General Delegate says that the Studio Ghibli characters “populate our imaginations with prolific, colorful universes and sensitive, engaging narrations. With Ghibli, Japanese animation stands as one of the great adventures of cinephilia, between tradition and modernity.” Ghibli’s recognition represents the first time an institution is being honored at the Cannes Film Festival.
This year’s festival will begin with Quentin Dupieux’s “The Second Act,” starring Lea Seydoux, Vincent Lindon, Louis Garrel and Raphaël Quenard. The movies slated for this year’s festival include Yorgos Lanthimos’ “Kinds of Kindness” with Emma Stone and Willem Dafoe; Jacques Audiard’s musical “Emilia Perez” starring Zoe Saldana; and Selena Gomez and Ali Abbasi’s “The Apprentice,” which sees Sebastian Stan take on the role of a young Donald Trump.
