First Cannes Film Festival was held on this day in 1946; all about one of the 'Big Three'

On this day in history, September 20, 1946, France organized its first-ever annual Cannes Film Festival at the resort city of Cannes in French Riviera. The festival was inspired by the international film festival of Venice launched in the year 1932, which was largely accused of being infiltrated by Benito Mussolini’s regimes in Italy and Germany’s Nazi propaganda, which dictated and controlled the screening of the films. Therefore, in a bid to make cinema about the freedom of artistic expression, France launched its own alternative film festival, known as Festival de Cannes in the present day which is on elf the world’s largest art and influence events hosted by France. 

Initially, Paris had announced in June 1939 that a film festival will be established at Cannes which will be held from September 1 to 20. Further, the Films were shortlisted that included the prominent movies of the era such as  The Wizard of Oz, The Nigerian, and The Black Diamond. While the renowned artists, actors, filmmakers arrived to attend the film festival, Hitler invaded Poland on September 1, according to several media reports. The invasion stalled the event plans due to the declaration of war and the French government’s orders to mobilize the troops. Cannes managed to screen William Dieterle’s The Hunchback of Notre Dame directed by German American director William Dieterle. 

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Grand Prix du Festival award

With the start of WWII, the festival was postponed and wasn’t conducted until 1946 when the French government reinstated orders to organize Festival de Cannes to attract the tourists from worldwide. As many as 18 nations were represented via submission of hit cinema such as The Brief Encounter, The Lost Weekend, Open City, Tomorrow, It’s War, and many others. The festival was eventually held on September 20, 1946. The moviemakers were bestowed with the Grand Prix du Festival award for the creation of marvellous work in art and cinema.

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