THE FESTIVAL TODAYInterview with Thierry Frémaux

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. It is a Cannes tradition to raise a glass to household names and usher emerging directors into the international film scene’s spotlight. That’s what makes Cannes, Cannes. We always painstakingly curate our offering to ensure we showcase hidden gems alongside more mainstream films.

The Official Selection serves to highlight the diversity of cinematic creation through its different sections, each of which has its own distinct identity. The films are screened in world preview showings, meaning it’s often the first time they come under the watchful gaze of a demanding audience made up of professionals and film lovers.

Some sections culminate in awards, such as the Competition where incredibly high-level “mainstream art film” works are presented, Un Certain Regard, which recently shifted its focus to return to more experimental up-and-coming arthouse directors, and La Cinef film school graduate offerings.

But the Official Selection also centres on Out of Competition, Special Screenings, Midnight Screenings, and Cannes Première films, as well as heritage works screened as part of Cannes Classics and the Cinéma de la Plage. The important thing is that this Selection is both balanced and representative of cinematography at the time in terms of creativity and geography.

The Out of Competition films are often films that have a big impact on the cinematic calendar, and the Special Screenings and Midnight Screenings represent a special opportunity to view more personal works. Cannes Première was launched in 2021 to showcase silver-screen legends whose work doesn’t necessarily fit neatly in with Competition criteria, while Cannes Classics shines a light on restored copies of old favourites, as well as tributes to and documentaries about cinema.

Cinema lovers can also explore the world of cinema in different ways by attending masterclasses, tributes, or exhibitions which make up the Events of an edition. In 2024, for example, the “Rendez-vous with” sessions gave festival-goers the chance to spend time in the company of such exceptional artists as Meryl Streep and George Lucas.

At Cannes, short films are represented by the Competition, at the end of which a Jury awards the Palme d’or, and by the Short Film Corner | Rendez-vous Industry, a forum dedicated to short films at the heart of the Marché du Film.

These two entities work in a complementary dynamic to offer a panorama of the world’s short film production and foster links between creation and industry.

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 team’s Selection Committee. These talent-seekers travel the world and scour film festivals each year to unearth the most promising directors and bring a fresh look to the Official Selection.

The Festival’s past has been scattered with schemes designed to support fledgling talent. The Caméra d’or for the best début film across all categories (Official Selection, Directors’ Fortnight, Critics’ Week) and the Short Films Competition, La Cinef graduate films, the Residence, the Atelier, the SFC | Rendez-vous Industry… All these initiatives combine to elevate us into a supportive observatory of trends, which is why we opted to bring them together under a single name: Cinéma de Demain

They are our flagship! No doubt they are the part of the festival that draws the most media attention. For the organisation, they represent above all an opportunity to give an initial and equally special welcome to both the world’s greatest film artists and emerging talent. They also represent an opportunity to honour the creativity of those artists on whom the Festival’s prestige depends. After appearing at Cannes, which boosts directors’ reputation, the films often enjoy success at cinemas and festivals around the world.

Each year, the Festival invites artists from all over the world to give their personal portrayal of the world of today and tomorrow. In 2024, the 237 films selected (shorts and features) came from 56 countries. The almost 39.000 festival-goers come from all over the world (160 countries represented in 2024), and media coverage of the event is international. In addition, all film-producing countries have the opportunity to showcase the richness of their cinematography at the International Village, which hosts national and regional film institutions from over 90 countries worldwide.

From a very early stage, the Festival de Cannes has placed an emphasis on its Marché du Film as a way of promoting the dual cultural and economic nature of cinema, and in 2024, the Marché du Film celebrated its 55th anniversary! Today, with some 15,000 participants and 4,000 films and projects presented by 140 countries, it remains the world’s leading film market and contributes to the dynamism of the global film industry. It forms an integral part of the Festival in the sense that it also facilitates networking and provides professionals with the services and tools they need in order to exchange information, hold negotiations and uncover new opportunities.

A film’s success and its director’s reputation depend above all on how it is received in cinemas. Despite being an event for film professionals only, the Festival is mindful of this reality and is taking steps to improve the way it reaches film enthusiasts.
Since 2012, the opening film has been released in French cinemas on the same day as its screening at Cannes and the opening ceremony has been broadcast in cinemas enabling audiences to experience the Festival launch night live.

At Cannes, the Cinéma de la Plage screens a different film each night, often in the presence of prestigious guests. These open-air screenings are open to everyone and represent a strong link with the general public and can play host to other events such as concerts, for example.

In 2018, we began “Three Days in Cannes”, as encouraging the future love of cinema also forms part of the Festival’s missions. The scheme involves inviting young people aged between 18 and 28 to the beginning and end of the festival to discover films from the Official Selection. It was so successful that it has been made an annual event. In 2024, it welcomed 3,000 young enthusiasts from all over the world to its cinemas.

The Festival is a key event on a global scale. We are constantly endeavouring to help our selected works benefit from this image, by supporting the promotion of directors and their films in regions of the world where they have less prestige than in France. For example, we are already involved in the ‘Buenos Aires Cannes Film Week‘, the ‘Cannes Films in Bucharest’ programme, and last November, Hong Kong also welcomed the first Asian edition of the Festival de Cannes Film Week.
At the same time, we are in a world of constantly changing images and as such, we must continue to reinvent ourselves from the inside.  The smallest actions undertaken in Cannes can turn into major turning points further down the line, and it’s by constantly asking ourselves questions about the various aspects of the event that we can best prepare for the future with conviction and commitment, while staying attuned to the issues of our time.