The 51st Cannes Film Festival took place from 13 to 24 May 1998. American filmmaker Martin Scorsese served as jury president for the main competition. Isabelle Huppert was the host for the opening and closing ceremonies.
Greek filmmaker Theo Angelopoulos won the Palme d'Or, the festival's top prize, for the drama film Eternity and a Day.
The festival opened with Primary Colors by Mike Nichols, and closed with Godzilla by Roland Emmerich. Two new sections were added to the Official Selection: the Un Certain Regard and the Cinéfondation.
Juries Main competition Martin Scorsese, American filmmaker and producer - Jury President Alain Corneau, French filmmaker Chiara Mastroianni, French actress Chen Kaige, Chinese filmmaker Lena Olin, Swedish actress Winona Ryder, American actress MC Solaar, French singer Zoé Valdés, Cuban filmmaker and author Sigourney Weaver, American actress Michael Winterbottom, British filmmaker
Un Certain Regard Jacques Mandelbaum, French journalist - Jury President Thierry Gandillot Luc Honorez Pierre Murat
Cinéfondation and Short Films Competition Jean-Pierre Jeunet, French filmmaker - Jury President Emmanuelle Béart, French actress Arnaud Desplechin, French filmmaker Jaco Van Dormael, Belgian filmmaker Ángela Molina, Spanish actress
Camera d'Or Trần Anh Hùng, Vietnamese-French filmmaker - Jury President Derek Malcolm, British film critic Bernard Maltaverne Marcel Martin, film critic Emanuela Martini, film critic Jacques Poitrenaud, French director and actor Pierre Salvadori, French filmmaker Charles Van Damme, Belgian cinematographer
Official Selection In Competition The following feature films competed for the Palme d'Or: English titleOriginal titleDirector(s)Production countryApril AprileNanni MorettiItalyThe CelebrationFestenThomas VinterbergDenmarkClaire DolanLodge KerriganUnited States, FranceClass TripLa classe de neigeClaude MillerFranceDance Me to My SongRolf de HeerAustraliaThe Dreamlife of AngelsLa vie rêvée des angesErick ZoncaFranceEternity and a DayΜια αιωνιότητα και μια μέραTheo AngelopoulosGreeceFear and Loathing in Las VegasTerry GilliamUnited StatesFlowers of Shanghai海上花Hou Hsiao-hsienTaiwanFoolish HeartCorazón iluminadoHéctor BabencoArgentina, Brazil, FranceThe GeneralJohn BoormanIreland, United KingdomThe Hole洞Tsai Ming-liangTaiwanHenry Fool Hal HartleyUnited StatesThe IdiotsIdioterneLars von TrierDenmark, France, Italy, Netherlands, Spain, SwedenIlluminata John TurturroUnited StatesKhrustalyov, My Car!Хрусталёв, машину!Aleksei GermanRussia, FranceLife Is BeautifulLa vita è bellaRoberto BenigniItalyMy Name Is JoeKen LoachUnited KingdomThe Rose SellerLa vendedora de rosasVíctor GaviriaColombiaThe School of FleshL'école de la chairBenoît JacquotFranceThose Who Love Me Can Take the TrainCeux qui m'aiment prendront le trainPatrice ChéreauVelvet GoldmineTodd HaynesUnited Kingdom, United States
Un Certain Regard The following films were selected for the competition of Un Certain Regard: English titleOriginal titleDirector(s)Production countryAll the Little Animals Jeremy ThomasUnited KingdomThe ApostleRobert DuvallUnited StatesThe AppleسیبSamira MakhmalbafIranAugust 32nd on Earth Un 32 août sur terreDenis VilleneuveCanadaEl evangelio de las maravillasArturo RipsteinMexicoFor SaleÀ vendreLaetitia MassonFranceThe ImpostorsStanley TucciUnited StatesIn the Presence of a ClownLarmar och gör sig tillIngmar BergmanSwedenIsland, AliciaKen YunomeUnited StatesKillerКиллерDarezhan OmirbaevKazakhstan, FranceLeaf on a PillowDaun di Atas BantalGarin NugrohoIndonesiaLittle TonyKleine TeunAlex van WarmerdamNetherlandsLouise (Take 2)SiegfriedFranceLove Is the Devil: Study for a Portrait of Francis BaconJohn MayburyUnited KingdomLulu on the BridgePaul AusterUnited StatesThe Man Who Couldn't Open DoorsPaul ArdenUnited KingdomThe MutantsOs mutantesTeresa VillaverdePortugalOne Evening After the Warរាត្រីមួយក្រោយសង្គ្រាមRithy PanhCambodia, FrancePassionSzenvedélyGyörgy FehérHungaryPlaces in CitiesPlätze in StädtenAngela SchanelecGermanyThe Power of Kangwon Province강원도의 힘Hong Sang-sooSouth KoreaRehearsals for WarTeatro di guerraMario MartoneItalyRiver of GoldO Rio do OuroPaulo RochaPortugalThe ShoeKurpeLaila PakalniņaGermany, LatviaTell Me I'm DreamingDis-moi que je rêveClaude MouriérasFranceTokyo EyesJean-Pierre LimosinFrance, JapanZero EffectJake KasdanUnited States
Out of Competition The following films were selected to be screened out of competition: English titleOriginal titleDirector(s)Production countryBlues Brothers 2000 John LandisUnited StatesGodzilla (closing film)Roland EmmerichPrimary Colors (opening film)Mike Nichols
Special Screenings The following films were selected to receive a Special Screening: English titleOriginal titleDirector(s)Production countryAnxiety InquietudeManoel de OliveiraPortugalDark CityAlex ProyasUnited States, AustraliaGoodbye LoverRoland JofféUnited States, GermanyDr. Akagiカンゾー先生Shohei ImamuraJapanTango Tango, no me dejes nuncaCarlos SauraArgentina, Spain
Cinéfondation The following films were selected for the competition of Cinéfondation:
Blue City by David Birdsell Deer Men by Saara Saarela Die Weiche by Chrys Krikellis Doom and Gloom by John McKay The First Sin by Fahimeh Sorkhabi Inside the Boxes by Mirjam Kubescha Jakub by Adam Guzinski Mud (Kal) by Ivaylo P. Simidchiev Mangwana by Manu Kurewa One Eye by Liana Dognini The Photographer (Fotograf) by Alexander Kott The Rose of the Railroad (Ratapenkan Ruusu) by Hanna Maylett The Sheep Thief by Asif Kapadia Summer-Time (Léto - cas dlouhých letu) by Ramunas Greicius Wild Paths (Sentieri selvaggi) by Susanna Grigoletto
Short Films Competition The following short films competed for the Short Film Palme d'Or:
9'8 M/S2 by Alfonso Amador, Nicolas Mendez Balkanska Ruleta by Zdravko Barisic Enfant, Gribouillage, Photos de Famille by Jun-hong Lin Fetch by Lynn-Maree Danzey Gasman by Lynne Ramsay Happy Birthday to Me by Martin Mahon Horseshoe by David Lodge I Want You by Gregory Quail Kiyida by Ebru Yapici L'Interview by Xavier Giannoli Skate by Eun-Ryung Cho
Parallel sections International Critics' Week The following films were screened for the 37th International Critics' Week (37e Semaine de la Critique):
Feature film competition
The Bed (Postel) by Oskar Reif (Czech Republic) Christmas in August by Hur Jin-Ho (South Korea) I Stand Alone (Seul contre tous) by Gaspar Noé (France) Memory & Desire by Niki Caro (New Zealand) The Polish Bride (De Poolse bruid)) by Karim Traïdia (Netherlands) Sitcom by François Ozon (France) Torrente, el brazo tonto de la ley by Santiago Segura (Spain)
Short film competition
Brutalos by Christophe Billeter, David Leroy (Switzerland) Down, Across (Loddrett, Vannrett) by Erland Øverby (Norway) Flight by Sim Sadler (United States) Der Hausbesorger by Stephan Wagner (Austria) Milk by Andrea Arnold (United Kingdom) Por un infante difunto by Tinieblas González (Spain) The Rogers’ Cable by Jennifer Kierans (Canada)
Directors' Fortnight The following films were screened for the 1998 Directors' Fortnight (Quinzaine des Réalizateurs):
Babyface by Jack Blum Cantique de la racaille by Vincent Ravalec Chacun pour soi by Bruno Bontzolakis Disparus by Gilles Bourdos Happiness by Todd Solondz Head On by Ana Kokkinos High Art by Lisa Cholodenko Hinterland (L’Arrière pays) by Jacques Nolot L’homme qui rit by Paul Leni Laisse un peu d'amour by Zaïda Ghorab-Volta Last Night by Don McKellar Le Nain rouge by Yvan Le Moine Notes of Love (La Parola amore esiste) by Mimmo Calopresti Of Freaks and Men (Pro urodov i lyudey) by Alexeï Balabanov Requiem by Alain Tanner Slam by Marc Levin Slums Of Beverly Hills by Tamara Jenkins Spring In My Hometown by Kwangmo Lee The Stringer by Paul Pawlikowski La Vie Sur Terre by Abderrahmane Sissako West Beyrouth by Ziad Doueiri
Short films
A table by Idit Cébula (19 min.) Le Bleu du ciel by Christian Dor (25 min.) Open Bodies (Les corps ouverts) by Sébastien Lifshitz (47 min.) Electrons statiques by Jean-Marc Moutout (25 min.) Les Pinces à linge by Joël Brisse (23 min.) Rue bleue by Chad Chenouga (24 min.)
Official Awards
The following films and people received the 1998 Official selection awards:
In Competition Palme d'Or: Eternity and a Day by Theodoros Angelopoulos Grand Prize of the Jury: Life Is Beautiful by Roberto Benigni Best Director: John Boorman for The General Best Screenplay: Henry Fool by Hal Hartley Best Actress: Élodie Bouchez and Natacha Régnier for The Dreamlife of Angels Best Actor: Peter Mullan for My Name Is Joe Best Artistic Contribution: Velvet Goldmine by Todd Haynes Jury Prize: The Celebration by Thomas Vinterberg Class Trip by Claude Miller
Un Certain Regard Killer by Darezhan Omirbaev
Cinéfondation First Prize: Jakub by Adam Guzinski Second Prize: The Sheep Thief by Asif Kapadia Third Prize: Mangwana by Manu Kurewa
Caméra d'Or Slam by Marc Levin
Short Film Palme d'Or L'interview by Xavier Giannoli Jury Prize: Horseshoe by David Lodge Gasman by Lynne Ramsay
Independent awards
FIPRESCI Prizes The Hole by Tsai Ming-liang (In competition) Happiness by Todd Solondz (Directors' Fortnight)
Commission Supérieure Technique Technical Grand Prize: Vittorio Storaro (cinematography) in Tango
Prize of the Ecumenical Jury Eternity and a Day by Theodoros Angelopoulos Ecumenical Jury - Special Award: Ingmar Bergman
Award of the Youth Foreign Film: Last Night by Don McKellar French Film: Hinterland by Jacques Nolot
International Critics' Week Mercedes-Benz Award: I Stand Alone by Gaspar Noé Canal+ Award: Por un infante difunto by Tinieblas González Grand Golden Rail: The Polish Bride by Karim Traïdia Small Golden Rail: Down, Across by Erland Øverby
Directors' Fortnight Kodak Short Film Award: Open Bodies by Sébastien Lifshitz Rue bleue by Chad Chenouga Gras Savoye Award: Rue bleue by Chad Chenouga
François Chalais Award West Beyrouth by Ziad Doueiri
References
Media INA: Opening of the 1998 Festival (commentary in French) INA: List of prize-winners of the 1998 festival (commentary in French)
External links
1998 Cannes Film Festival (web.archive) Official website Retrospective 1998 Cannes Film Festival Awards 1998 at Internet Movie Database