2011 Cannes Film Festival
The 64th Cannes Film Festival was held from 11 to 22 May 2011.[2] American actor Robert De Niro served as the president of the jury for the main competition[3] and French filmmaker Michel Gondry headed the jury for the short film competition.[4] South Korean film director Bong Joon-ho was the head of the jury for the Caméra d'Or prize, which is awarded to the best first-time filmmaker.[5] The American film The Tree of Life, directed by Terrence Malick won the Palme d'Or.[6]
Opening film
Midnight in Paris, written and directed by Woody Allen, opened the festival[7][8] and Beloved (Les Bien-aimés), directed by Christophe Honoré and screened as out of competition, closed the festival. Mélanie Laurent hosted the opening and closing ceremonies.
Italian film director Bernardo Bertolucci was presented with the third Honorary Palme d'Or Award at the opening ceremony of the festival.[9] Though the award had been given out sporadically in the past the Honorary Palme d'Or was supposed to presented annually after 2011. However it was not given again until the 2015 Cannes Film Festival.[10] Gus Van Sant's Restless opened the Un Certain Regard section.[11] Jailed Iranian film directors Jafar Panahi and Mohammad Rasoulof were honoured at the festival.[12] Goodbye by Rasoulof and Panahi's This Is Not a Film was screened at the festival, and Panahi was awarded the Carrosse d'Or. Four female directors featured in the main competition: Australian Julia Leigh, Japan's Naomi Kawase, Scottish director Lynne Ramsay and France's own Maïwenn Le Besco.[13][14]
Danish film director Lars von Trier caused controversy with comments he made at the press conference of his film Melancholia. When he was asked about the relation between the influences of German Romanticism in the film and his own German heritage, the director made jokes about Jews and Nazis. He said he understood Adolf Hitler and admired the work of architect Albert Speer, and jokingly announced that he was a Nazi.[15] The Cannes Film Festival first issued an official apology for the remarks the same day and clarified that Trier is not a Nazi or an antisemite,[16] then declared the director "persona non grata" the following day.[17] The film remained in competition.[18]
Official Selection[edit]
In Competition[edit]
The following feature films competed for the Palme d'Or.[1] The Palme d'Or winner has been highlighted:
Parallel Sections[edit]
Critics' Week[edit]
The line-up for the Critics' Week section was announced on 18 April at the section's website.[35] Declaration of War, directed by Valérie Donzelli, and Bachelor Days Are Over, directed by Katia Lewkowicz, were selected as the opening and closing films of the Semaine de la Critique section.[36]
Feature films