How Cannes Film Festival Started Because Of Politics And Became One Of Cinema’s Biggest Events

Today Cannes Film Festival is seen as one of the biggest events in world cinema, but its beginning goes back to politics and war.

Before Cannes, the Venice Film Festival was one of the major film events in the world. However, during the late 1930s, many people felt that political influence had started affecting awards and film selections there under dictators like Adolf Hitler and Benito Mussolini.

Because of this, a separate international film festival was planned in Cannes, France. The first edition was supposed to begin in 1939, but World War II started around the same time after Germany invaded Poland. Due to the war situation, the event was delayed for several years.

The first proper Cannes Film Festival finally took place in 1946 with participation from many countries. Over time, Cannes slowly became one of the most important spaces for world cinema, independent films and international filmmakers.

The festival’s top honour is the Palme d’Or award. It was introduced in the 1950s and is still considered the biggest award at Cannes today. The trophy is made using gold and is designed by luxury jewellery brand Chopard.

India has also shared a long connection with Cannes. Chetan Anand’s film Neecha Nagar became the first Indian film to win the Palme d’Or. Later, filmmakers like Satyajit Ray, Mira Nair and actors like Aishwarya Rai, Deepika Padukone and Vidya Balan have represented India there in different ways.

From a festival that started during political tensions to becoming a global film event, Cannes has now completed decades as one of cinema’s biggest international platforms.