HISTORY OF THE CANNES FESTIVAL
It all started in Venice in 1938
The Mostra juries, under pressure from Hitler and Mussolini, change the list hours before the results in favor of a Nazi propaganda documentary. The French diplomat and historian Philippe Erlanger, shocked by the events, is already thinking of organizing a free festival, without pressure or constraint. This idea took on its official character when it obtained the endorsement and approval of the then Minister of National Education, Jean Zay. The opening of the International Film Festival will take place in Cannes on September 1, 1939, at the same time as the Venice Film Festival.
There is unanimity around the French Festival
The emphasis is on the originality of the event: each country will choose the films it will show in competition. France, not wishing to create additional tensions, decides to invite all the film-producing countries, including Germany and Italy, which will decline this invitation.
The crisis began in the summer of 1939, German military operations upset Europe, and only nine countries agreed to participate in the first edition of the Festival.
Cannes becomes the city of the Festival
France must match Italy and give its Festival such a prestigious setting. On a list of ten French cities, Cannes and Biarritz are selected for the selection. Many rumors give Cannes the winning city, but - dramatically - on May 9, 1939, Biarritz was chosen as the seat of the Festival. The supporters of Cannes go back to campaign and win their bet by proposing to increase the financial participation of the municipality. Thus on May 31, 1939, the city of Cannes and the government signed the official birth of the International Film Festival.
The Festival in turmoil
The first Festival of 1939 was initially to be held from September 1 to 20, 1939 in the hall of the Municipal Casino.
From August, the first festival-goers arrive and take part in sumptuous parties. The painter Jean-Gabriel Domergue signs the official poster of this first festival. But the threats of conflict becoming clearer however made them flee. On September 1, German troops invaded Poland. The festival is postponed for 10 days but the events are rushing. On September 3, war declared and general mobilization launched, the festival cannot begin. Only one private screening will be organized, the American film Quasimodo by William Dieterle for the promotion of which a cardboard reconstruction of Notre-Dame de Paris cathedral was built on the beach.
Films were selected, including "The Wizard of Oz" or "Stanley and Livingstone". The stars were already there or on the way, like Norma Shearer or Cary Grant, Michèle Morgan or Pierre Fresnay. The Honorary President, Louis Lumière, was appointed and the President of the Festival was none other than Jean Zay, "Minister of Cinema", who had wanted, with the help of American studios, to create Cannes to counter the Venice Film Festival. become openly fascist. From this little-known adventure remain unpublished archives which allow Olivier Loubes to give us the story of this disappeared event, "Somewhere over the rainbow.
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