When Did the 2024 Cannes Film Festival Happen? Event Details
The 77th edition of the Festival de Cannes took place from 14 to 25 May 2024 on the French Riviera. The festival’s main venue was the Palais des Festivals et des Congrès in Cannes, where all official screenings and ceremonies were held. Greta Gerwig presided over the main competition jury, making history as the first American female director to hold that role.
The event opened with the premiere of Le Deuxième Acte by Quentin Dupieux and closed on 25 May with the awards ceremony. A total of 22 films competed for the Palme d’Or, with many more screening in parallel sections such as Un Certain Regard, Directors’ Fortnight, and Critics’ Week.
| Event 77th Cannes Film Festival |
Dates 14–25 May 2024 |
Jury President Greta Gerwig |
Top Winner Palme d’Or: Anora by Sean Baker |
- The American independent film Anora by Sean Baker won the Palme d’Or.
- Greta Gerwig served as jury president for the main competition.
- The festival ran from 14 to 25 May 2024.
- Jesse Plemons won Best Actor for his role in Kinds of Kindness.
- The Best Actress award was shared by four performers from Emilia Pérez: Adriana Paz, Karla Sofía Gascón, Selena Gomez, and Zoë Saldaña.
- The Grand Prix was awarded to All We Imagine as Light by Payal Kapadia.
- Mohammad Rasoulof received a Special Award for The Seed of the Sacred Fig.
| Category | Detail |
|---|---|
| Edition | 77th |
| Dates | 14 – 25 May 2024 |
| Jury President | Greta Gerwig |
| Palme d’Or | Anora by Sean Baker |
| Grand Prix | All We Imagine as Light by Payal Kapadia |
| Best Actor | Jesse Plemons (Kinds of Kindness) |
| Best Actress | Adriana Paz, Zoë Saldaña, Karla Sofía Gascón, Selena Gomez (Emilia Pérez) |
| Venue | Palais des Festivals, Cannes, France |
Who Won the Palme d’Or and Other Top Awards at Cannes 2024?
The main competition awards were announced during the closing ceremony on 25 May 2024. The official winners list, published by the Festival de Cannes, is the authoritative source.
Palme d’Or: Anora by Sean Baker
Sean Baker’s Anora, a story set in the world of sex work and class divides, won the top prize. The film had premiered on 21 May and immediately drew strong reactions.
Grand Prix: All We Imagine as Light by Payal Kapadia
Payal Kapadia’s lyrical drama about Mumbai workers became the first Indian film in decades to win a top Cannes prize. The Grand Prix is the second-most-important award of the competition.
Best Actor: Jesse Plemons in Kinds of Kindness
Jesse Plemons took the Best Actor trophy for Yorgos Lanthimos’s anthology film. The award marked a major recognition for the American actor.
Some outlets reported the Best Actress prize as an ensemble award for Emilia Pérez. The official press release from the festival lists the award as given jointly to Adriana Paz, Karla Sofía Gascón, Selena Gomez, and Zoë Saldaña. The festival’s own winners page confirms this grouping.
Best Actress: Four Performers from Emilia Pérez
The four actresses of Emilia Pérez shared the Best Actress award. The French-Spanish musical by Jacques Audiard also won the Jury Prize.
Jury Prize: Emilia Pérez
In addition to the acting honours, Emilia Pérez received the Jury Prize, the third-most-prestigious prize in the competition.
Special Award: The Seed of the Sacred Fig
Mohammad Rasoulof’s film about political dissent in Iran received a special Prix Spécial. The director was unable to attend due to legal restrictions.
For a complete list of all competition winners, refer to the Variety coverage and the Wikipedia entry for the 2024 festival.
What Was the Official Selection (Lineup) for Cannes 2024?
The official selection was announced on 14 April 2024 by festival director Thierry Frémaux. It included 22 films in the main competition, alongside out-of-competition premieres and special screenings.
Jury President and Jury
Greta Gerwig led the main competition jury, which also included actors Lily Gladstone, Omar Sy, and others. The jury decided all competitive awards.
Films in Competition
Notable entries included David Cronenberg’s The Shrouds, Francis Ford Coppola’s Megalopolis, and Paolo Sorrentino’s Parthenope. However, only those that won are listed above. The full competition lineup is available on the festival’s official retrospective page.
The festival’s retrospective page lists all films that received awards in 2024, including those from parallel sections such as Un Certain Regard, Directors’ Fortnight, and Critics’ Week.
How the 2024 Winners Compare to the 2023 Cannes Film Festival
The 2023 festival awarded the Palme d’Or to Justine Triet’s Anatomy of a Fall, a courtroom drama. In 2024, the top prize shifted to American independent filmmaking with Sean Baker’s Anora. Both films explore power dynamics and social inequality, but their storytelling styles differ sharply.
The 2023 Grand Prix went to The Zone of Interest by Jonathan Glazer, while 2024’s Grand Prix recognised an Indian film for the first time in decades. The 2023 jury was led by Ruben Östlund, whereas Greta Gerwig presided in 2024.
A full side-by-side comparison of winners across major categories is useful for readers tracking trends at Cannes. For a detailed breakdown of the 2023 edition, see our Cannes Film Festival 2023 Winners List.
Some secondary sources incorrectly pair specific awards with the wrong films or directors. Always cross-check with the official festival press release for definitive results.
Timeline of the 2024 Cannes Film Festival: Key Dates
- 14 April 2024 – Official Selection announced by Thierry Frémaux.
- 14 May 2024 – Festival Opening Ceremony; first screenings began.
- 14–24 May 2024 – Daily screenings, press conferences, and industry events.
- 25 May 2024 – Closing Ceremony and awards presentation; festival concluded.
Established Facts vs. Unconfirmed Details at Cannes 2024
| Established Information | Uncertain or Unconfirmed |
|---|---|
| All competition award winners are officially confirmed by the festival. | The 2025 lineup has not been announced (as of mid-2024). |
| The festival dates (14–25 May 2024) are verified. | Future jury presidents for 2025 are not yet named. |
| Greta Gerwig was the jury president. | Speculative categories such as “snubs” or “surprises” are subjective and not official. |
What Made the 2024 Cannes Film Festival Significant?
The 77th edition was notable for the strong showing of American independent cinema with Sean Baker’s Palme d’Or win. The shared Best Actress award for the ensemble of Emilia Pérez underlined the festival’s embrace of diverse, multilingual storytelling. Additionally, the special prize for Mohammad Rasoulof’s The Seed of the Sacred Fig highlighted the festival’s continued support for filmmakers facing political persecution.
Where to Find Authoritative Information on Cannes 2024
“The 77th Festival de Cannes winners list reflects the jury’s recognition of bold, original cinema from around the world.”
– Official Festival de Cannes press release, 25 May 2024
The primary sources for all winners and the official selection are the Festival de Cannes press page and the festival retrospective. Secondary databases such as IMDb and Vanity Fair provide additional context, but the festival’s own releases remain the most reliable.
Final Overview of the 2024 Cannes Film Festival
The 2024 Cannes Film Festival delivered a slate of winners that balanced emerging voices (Payal Kapadia) with established auteurs (Sean Baker, Jacques Audiard). The festival ran smoothly from 14 to 25 May, with Greta Gerwig’s jury making history in several categories. For ongoing coverage of the event, visit our All Cannes Film Festival Coverage page.
Frequently Asked Questions
What was the Grand Prix winner at Cannes 2024?
The Grand Prix was awarded to All We Imagine as Light by Payal Kapadia.
How does the 2024 lineup compare to the 2023 winners?
The 2023 Palme d’Or went to Anatomy of a Fall (Justine Triet). The 2024 focus shifted to American indie cinema with Anora.
Who won Best Director at Cannes 2024?
Miguel Gomes won Best Director for Grand Tour.
What film won the Camera d’Or in 2024?
The Camera d’Or for best first feature went to Armand by Halfdan Ullmann Tøndel.
Who won the Palme d’Or for Best Short Film?
The Man Who Could Not Remain Silent by Nebojša Slijepčević won the short film Palme d’Or.
What was the official selection announcement date for Cannes 2024?
The full official selection was announced on 14 April 2024.
Where is the Cannes Film Festival held?
The festival takes place at the Palais des Festivals in Cannes, France.
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Toby Marsh is Senior Reporter at Castradar.uk, covering film and TV stories across the UK.