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Official selection

Competition

Open to feature and short films which meet the following criteria:

• Produced during the twelve months preceding the Festival
• Not released anywhere other than country of origin
• Not presented at any other international film event
• Not screened on the Internet.

If submitting a film for the 'short film' category the maximum running time is 15 minutes including credits.
All selected films (including shorts) must have French subtitles.

Feature films compete for the following prizes:

• The Palme d'Or
• The Grand Prix, for the film that shows the most originality
• Best Actress
• Best Actor
• Best Director
• Best Screenplay
• The Jury Prize

There is also a Palme d’Or and a Jury Prize for short films

The Camera d'Or is the prize given to the best first feature film in the Official Selection, Critics' Week and Directors' Fortnight. Independent of the jury decision, prizes are also awarded by FIPRESCI and the Grand Prix de la Commission Supérieure Technique. The jury also often sees fit to create other awards than those listed above.

For entry form and full regulations go to www.festival-cannes.fr

Un Certain Regard

Un Certain Regard was created in 1978 to absorb various sidebars, this section surveys current world cinema – a showpiece for filmmakers held 'with a certain regard'.  Since 1998 Un Certain Regard has also had its own jury and awarded its own prizes.

Out of Competition

Each year there are a number of films which for various reasons are screened in “official selection” but out of competition as a special event e.g. in 2008 Steven Spielberg's Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull or a black tie screening e.g. The Chaser by Woody NA Hong-Jin.

Semaine de la Critique (Critics Week)

Critics Weeks’ aim is to discover new directors. The section is open to first and second time directors only and must met the following criteria:

• Completed within the 12 months prior to the date of the Festival.
• Not screened at any festival except in country of origin.
• There is an entry fee for feature films. Check the website.
• There is no entry fee for short films.
• Critics' Week will award the Grand Prix for best feature and best short. There are several other prizes awarded to shorts and features.
• For entry form and regulations go to http://www.semainedelacritique.com/

Cinefondation

Open to films made at film schools which met the following criteria:

• Made during the 18 months preceding the festival
• Not presented at any major international festivals
• Do not exceed 60 minutes in length
• Documentaries are not eligible
• For entry form and regulations go to www.festival-cannes.fr
• There are three cash prizes to help the prize-winners finance their next film project which should include the following credit 'The making of this film has been made possible with the support of the Cinéfondation du Festival de Cannes'.
• In addition, the first prize winner is also guaranteed that his or her first feature film will be presented at the Cannes Film Festival.

Quinzaine des Realisateurs (Directors Fortnight)

Created in June 1968, the Société des Réalisateurs de Films (Association of Film Directors) was set up to 'defend artistic, moral, professional and economic freedom in filmmaking, and to participate in the development of new cinema structures'.  Created during a period of anger and turbulence, the SRF has stayed faithful to its original mandate. Fiercely independent, the SRF is funded by member subscriptions and grants from the Centre Nationale de la Cinématographie for its cultural actions.

Directors Fortnight is open to feature and short films which meet the following criteria

• Completed within the previous 12 months
• 35 mm print for screening purposes.
• Films should not have been shown over the Internet, broadcast on French TV or commercially released in France.
• With the exception of foreign films in their country of origin, films should not be screened at any international competitive festival or major film event (except in the context of a film marché)
• The last criteria does not apply to the short film category (maximum running time 60 mins)
  There is an entry fee for submitting a feature but not for short films. Check website.

For the last six years British Council’s Film Department has been responsible for organising preview screenings in London for the Quinzaine des Realisateurs selectors. 

For entry form and regulations go to http://www.quinzaine-realisateurs.com/

N.B. For short film makers eager to get selected in Cannes we would advise that they submit their film simultaneously to all sections. Sending to official competition, Directors Fortnight and Critics Week at the same time will not harm their chances – waiting for a no from official competition before submitting to Critics Week might do so for reasons of timing.