History reveals that “The Festival de Cannes” has celebrated the cinema for more than 60 years.  Over the years, the French Association of the International Cannes Film Festival has been able to evolve whilst retaining the essential: the passion for motion pictures, discovery of new talents, and enthusiasm of festival-goers and professionals from around the world, all contributing to the birth and distribution of films.

The Festival International du Film the launch date was on 20 September 1946 the Festival de Cannes opened its doors, the first great international cultural event. The Festival was organized as a non-profit organization, managed by a Board of Directors and was to become “state-approved” as in 1972.

In 1972, it became the sole decision-maker for film selection. Previously, only the films designated by their countries of origin could make such decisions.

At the outset, the Festival principally resembled a tourist and social event. It professionalized with the creation in 1959 of a Marche du Film which began with a few dozen projections and a single screening room. Today, it draws more than 10,000 buyers and sellers from around the world. The Village international was created in 2000 around the Palais des Festivals to enable numerous countries to support their producers and film industry. The Producers Network, which has since 2004 enabled producers from around the globe to come together on their projects. The same year, the Short Film Corner, a welcome and promotional platform for shorts, was created .