1997 Cannes Film Festival
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| 1997 Cannes Film Festival | |
|---|---|
| Name | 50th Cannes Film Festival |
| Opening film | The Fifth Element |
| Closing film | The Peacemaker |
| Location | Cannes, France |
| Founded | 1946 |
| Awards | Palme d'Or – The Eel, Taste of Cherry |
| Date | 7–18 May 1997 |
| Website | [https://www.festival-cannes.com/en/ Official website] |
| Host | Monica Bellucci |
| Artistic director | Gilles Jacob |
| Number | 50 |
| Previous | 1996 |
| Next | 1998 |
1997 Cannes Film Festival The 50th edition of the Cannes Film Festival was held from 7 to 18 May 1997, marking a significant golden jubilee for the prestigious event. The festival was presided over by Isabelle Adjani as President of the Jury, with the opening ceremony hosted by actress Monica Bellucci. This milestone edition celebrated the history of cinema while showcasing a diverse slate of international auteurs and emerging talents, culminating in a historic tie for its top prize.
Official selection
The Official Selection, curated by festival director Gilles Jacob, featured a robust lineup of 22 films in competition for the Palme d'Or. Notable entries included Wong Kar-wai's stylistically influential crime drama Happy Together, Atom Egoyan's psychological thriller The Sweet Hereafter, and Ang Lee's period drama The Ice Storm. The selection also highlighted works by established European masters such as Claude Chabrol with Rien ne va plus and Manoel de Oliveira with Voyage to the Beginning of the World. The festival opened with Luc Besson's sci-fi spectacle The Fifth Element and closed with Mimi Leder's thriller The Peacemaker.
Juries and awards
The main competition jury, led by President Isabelle Adjani, included figures such as Michele Placido, Mira Sorvino, Paul Auster, Bojana Marijan, Chen Kaige, Mike Leigh, Nanni Moretti, and Liam Neeson. They awarded the Palme d'Or in a historic tie to Shohei Imamura's The Eel and Abbas Kiarostami's Taste of Cherry. The Grand Prix was awarded to The Sweet Hereafter by Atom Egoyan, while the Jury Prize went to Western by Manuel Poirier. Best Director honors were shared by Wong Kar-wai for Happy Together and Atom Egoyan. The Best Actress award was given to Kathy Burke for her role in Nil by Mouth, and the Best Actor award was posthumously awarded to Sean Penn for his performance in She's So Lovely.
Un Certain Regard
The Un Certain Regard section, dedicated to innovative and singular visions, was presided over by André Téchiné. It featured 23 films, including the directorial debut of Lucía Puenzo, The Fish Child, and Béla Tarr's acclaimed Werckmeister Harmonies. Other notable selections were Shinji Aoyama's An Obsession and Claire Denis's Nénette and Boni. The section awarded its prize to Moussa Sene Absa's Tableau Ferraille, a film examining post-colonial Senegal.
Cinéfondation and short film competition
The inaugural Cinéfondation section, a new initiative to support film students, presented 15 short and medium-length films from international film schools. The top prize was awarded to Is It Easy to be Young? by Laila Pakalnina. In the Short Film Competition, the Short Film Palme d'Or was won by Is It the Design on the Wrapper? by Tessa Sheridan. The jury for these sections included president Pascal Bonitzer and members such as Michele Ray-Gavras and Sharunas Bartas.
Parallel sections
The parallel sections provided alternative platforms, with the International Critics' Week showcasing first and second works. Its top prize, the Caméra d'Or, was awarded to Megan Follows for The Planet of Junior Brown. The Directors' Fortnight, independent from the main festival, featured films like Harmony Korine's controversial Gummo and Gary Oldman's directorial debut Nil by Mouth. This section also presented Todd Haynes's Velvet Goldmine and Ken Loach's The Flickering Flame.
Palme d'Or winners and nominees
The competition for the Palme d'Or was exceptionally strong, with the jury ultimately creating a tie between Shohei Imamura's The Eel, a story of redemption from Japan, and Abbas Kiarostami's Taste of Cherry, a minimalist meditation on life and death from Iran. Other prominent nominees included Atom Egoyan's The Sweet Hereafter, which won the Grand Prix, and Wong Kar-wai's Happy Together. The lineup also featured works by Ang Lee, Claude Chabrol, and Manoel de Oliveira, reflecting the festival's global reach and artistic ambition during its 50th year.
Category:Cannes Film Festival by year Category:1997 film festivals Category:1997 in French cinema Category:May 1997 events in Europe