2024 Cannes Film Festival to feature Brazilian film competing for the Palme d'Or
The festival, now in its 77th year, remains one of the most influential events for the global film market. Learn more about the festival's history.
From 14th to the 25th of May 2024, the
77th edition of the Cannes Film Festival will be taking place. It’s one of the most prestigious events in the global film industry, gathering artists, directors, distributors and various other professionals from the world of cinema in the city of Cannes on the French Riviera.
What is the Cannes Film Festival?
The Festival, which until 2002 was known as Festival du Film, is characterised by not being limited to a competition. There is also room for film screenings, discussions about the film market, and tributes to individuals who contribute to the film industry.
Alongside the Cannes Film Festival, there is the “Film Market” (in French, “Marché du Film”), a space dedicated to networking and the establishment of new business ventures.
How did the Cannes Film Festival come about?
The first edition of the Cannes Film Festival took place shortly after the end of the Second World War, in 1946, establishing itself as the first post-war festival.
However, its inception occurred years earlier, in 1938, with plans for a launch the following year. The formal announcement of the event was made, invitations were sent out to representatives from various countries, but the premiere was thwarted by the international tensions of the pre-war period, resulting in the first edition being postponed for several years.
How does the Cannes Film Festival operate?
The Cannes Film Festival spans two weeks and divides its film screenings into categories:
- Longs métrages en compétition, which encompasses the competing feature-length films;
- Longs métrages hors compétition, for films not competing for awards;
- Un certain regard, showcasing films with more original aspects, departing from the traditional model;
- Courts métrages en compétition, the competition for short films;
- Cinéfondation, supporting the next generation of filmmakers;
- La Semaine de la Critique (The Critics' Week), a parallel section focused on new talents;
- La Quinzaine des Réalisateurs (The Directors' Fortnight), also a parallel showcase during the festival;
There's also acknowledgement of films and professionals who have stood out the most, with the most prestigious award of the event being the Palme d'Or, which is given to the best film of the festival. Awards are also given for best actor and actress, best director, best screenwriter, Jury Prize, most original film, and others.
The Cannes Film Festival Market
The Film Market, or Marché du Film, reinforces the festival's mission to position itself as a catalyst for new business ventures in the sector, as well as serving as a venue for new deals, debates, networking, and initiatives that work towards the growth of the film market.
The highlights of the Cannes Film Festival 2024
The 2024 Cannes Film Festival has already announced the official list of films, including those competing for the Palme d'Or, and also the works that will be screened during the showcases.
The standout films in the 2024 edition include "Megalopolis," Francis Ford Coppola's latest feature, featuring Adam Driver; "Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga," directed by George Miller; "Kinds of Kindness," from the director of "Poor Things," Yorgos Lanthimos, starring Emma Stone; and "Horizon: An American Saga - Chapter 1," an American western starring, directed, and produced by Kevin Costner.
"Megalopolis" and "Kinds of Kindness" are on the list of films competing for the Palme d'Or this year. Another highlight of this year’s festival is actress Meryl Streep, who will receive an honorary Palme d'Or for her contribution film.
Brazil's presence at the Cannes Film Festival
Throughout the 77 editions of the festival, Brazil has been nominated 40 times for the main prize, but only one Brazilian film has officially been awarded the Palme d'Or: "O Pagador de Promessas" (1962), directed by Anselmo Duarte. The last feature film to bring a Cannes award to the country was "Bacurau" in 2019, which was hailed as the jury's favourite that year.
In 2024, Brazilian cinema will be represented at the Cannes Film Festival by "Motel Destino," directed by the Ceará-born filmmaker Karim Aïnouz, which will be competing for the main prize.
Other national productions will also be present at the awards. The short film "Amarela," directed by André Hayato Saito, will compete in its category. "Baby" and "A Menina e o Pote," which will be screened at the Cannes Film Festival's Critics' Week, and the documentary "A Queda do Céu," which was selected for the Directors' Fortnight.
The documentary "Extra: Documentário sobre Lula" will also be screened at Cannes, and although it is not a Brazilian film, it tells some of the story of Brazil's current president. Lastly, the film "Bye Bye Brazil," a comedy from 1980, will also be shown in a classics session of the festival.
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