The 36th Cannes Film Festival took place from 7 to 19 May 1983. American author William Styron served as jury president for the main competition.
Japanese filmmaker Shōhei Imamura won the Palme d'Or, the festival's top prize, for the drama film The Ballad of Narayama.
In 1983, the festival's new main building, the Palais des Festivals et des Congrès, was inaugurated. Initially many described it as "a hideous concrete blockhouse", nicknaming it The Bunker.
The festival opened with The King of Comedy by Martin Scorsese, and closed with WarGames by John Badham.
Juries Main competition William Styron, American author - Jury President Henri Alekan, French cinematographer Yvonne Baby, French journalist and author Sergei Bondarchuk, Soviet filmmaker and actor Youssef Chahine, Egyptian filmmaker Souleymane Cissé, Malian filmmaker Gilbert de Goldschmidt, French producer Mariangela Melato, Italian actress Karel Reisz, British filmmaker Lia van Leer, Israeli founder of the Haifa Cinematheque, the Jerusalem Cinematheque, the Israel Film Archive and the Jerusalem Film Festival
Camera d'Or Bernard Jubard, French - Jury President Philippe Carcassonne, French producer Dan Fainaru, Israeli Monique Grégoire, French Alexis Grivas, Mexican Adrienne Hancia, American Jean-Daniel Simon, French filmmaker
Official selection In Competition The following feature films competed for the Palme d'Or: English titleOriginal titleDirector(s)Production countryL'ArgentRobert BressonFrance, SwitzerlandThe Ballad of Narayama楢山節考Shōhei ImamuraJapanCarmen Carlos SauraSpainCross CreekMartin RittUnited StatesThe Death of Mario RicciLa mort de Mario RicciClaude GorettaFrance, SwitzerlandDuvarYılmaz GüneyTurkey, FranceEréndira Ruy GuerraMexico, France, West GermanyForbidden RelationsVisszaesőkZsolt Kézdi-KovácsHungaryHeat and DustJames IvoryUnited KingdomThe King of Comedy (opening film)Martin ScorseseUnited StatesKharij Mrinal SenIndiaMerry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence戦場のメリークリスマスNagisa ŌshimaJapan, United Kingdom, New ZealandMonty Python's The Meaning of LifeTerry JonesUnited KingdomMoon in the GutterLa Lune dans le caniveauJean-Jacques BeineixFranceNostalghiaAndrei TarkovskySoviet Union, ItalyOne Deadly SummerL'Été meurtrierJean BeckerFranceStation for TwoВокзал для двоихEldar RyazanovSoviet UnionThe Story of PieraStoria di PieraMarco FerreriItalyEl SurVíctor EriceSpainTender MerciesBruce BeresfordUnited StatesThe Wounded ManL'Homme blesséPatrice ChéreauFranceThe Year of Living DangerouslyPeter WeirAustralia, United States
Un Certain Regard The following films were selected for the Un Certain Regard section: English titleOriginal titleDirector(s)Production countryBella DonnaPeter KeglevicWest GermanyCaballo salvajeJoaquín CortésVenezuelaCan She Bake a Cherry Pie?Henry JaglomUnited StatesThe EightiesLes Années 80Chantal AkermanBelgium, FranceThe HaircutTamar Simon HoffsUnited StatesThe Herdsman牧马人Xie JinChinaHumanonon Michel FrançoisFranceLa matiouette ou l'arrière-paysAndré TéchinéNešto izmeđuSrđan KaranovićYugoslaviaNews ItemsFaits diversRaymond DepardonFranceThe Pool HustlersIo, Chiara e lo scuroMaurizio PonziItalyPoverty CertificateLe certificat d'indigenceMoussa BathilySenegalThe Shimmering BeastLa bête lumineusePierre PerraultCanadaTwenty Years of African CinemaCaméra d'AfriqueFérid BoughedirTunisiaUlysseAgnès VardaFranceZappa Bille AugustDenmark
Out of Competition The following films were selected to be screened out of competition: English titleOriginal titleDirector(s)Production countryAngelo My LoveRobert DuvallUnited StatesBoat People投奔怒海Ann HuiHong Kong, ChinaÉquateur Serge GainsbourgFrance, West Germany, GabonHoltpont Ferenc RofuszHungaryThe HungerTony ScottUnited Kingdom, United StatesThe Man in the Silk HatL'homme au chapeau de soieMaud LinderFranceModori Riverもどり川Tatsumi KumashiroJapanStreamersRobert AltmanUnited StatesUtu Geoff MurphyNew ZealandWalking, WalkingCammina, camminaErmanno OlmiItalyWarGames (closing film)John BadhamUnited StatesThe Wicked LadyMichael WinnerUnited Kingdom, United States
Short Films Competition The following short films competed for the Short Film Palme d'Or:
Ad astra by Ferenc Cakó Un Arrivo by Dominique De Fazio The Butterfly by Dieter Müller Don Kichot by Krzysztof Raynoch L'Égout by Maria Eugenia Santos La Fonte de Barlaeus by Pierre-Henry Salfati Haast een hand by Gerrit van Dijk, Jacques Overtoom, Peter Sweenen Je sais que j'ai tort mais demandez à mes copains ils disent la même chose by Pierre Levy The Only Forgotten Take of Casablanca by Charly Weller Too Much Oregano by Kerry Feltham
Parallel sections International Critics' Week The following feature films were screened for the 22nd International Critics' Week (22e Semaine de la Critique):
Betrayal (Løperjenten) by Vibeke Lokkeberg (Norway) Carnival in the Night (Yami no kānibaru) by Masashi Yamamoto (Japan) Le Destin de Juliette by Aline Issermann (France) Faux fuyants by Alain Bergala, Jean-Pierre Limosin (France) Lianna by John Sayles (United States) Menuet by Lili Rademakers (Belgium, Netherlands) The Princess (Adj király katonát) by Pal Erdöss (Hungary)
Directors' Fortnight The following films were screened for the 1983 Directors' Fortnight (Quinzaine des Réalizateurs):
Anguelos by Georges Katakouzinos Another Time, Another Place by Michael Radford Barbarosa by Fred Schepisi The Stationmaster's Wife (Bolwieser) by Rainer Werner Fassbinder The Compass Rose (La rosa de los vientos) by Patricio Guzman Daniel Takes a Train (Szerencsés Dániel) by Pal Sandor Dead End Street by Yaky Yosha Demons in the Garden (Demonios en el jardín) by Manuel Gutierrez Aragon (Eisenhans) by Tankred Dorst Grenzenlos by The House of the Yellow Carpet (La casa del tappeto giallo) by Carlo Lizzani Just a Game (Rien qu'un jeu) by Brigitte Sauriol Last Days of the Victim (Últimos días de la víctima) by Adolfo Aristarain Local Hero by Bill Forsyth Miss Lonelyhearts by Michael Dinner (Brief mention in novel) No Trace of Sin (Sem Sombra De Pecado) by José Fonseca e Costa La rue étroite (Xiao Jie) by Yang Yanjin Rupture (al-Inquita - Breakdown) by Mohamed Chouikh A Woman in Flames (Die flambierte Frau) by Robert van Ackeren
Short films
Alchimie by Michèle Miron, Richard Clark Conte Obscur by Manuel Gómez Dédicace by Marie Brazeau The Life And Death of Joe Soap by Lewis John Cooper Phalloctere by Manuel Gómez Saudade by Carlos Porto de Andrade Jr, Leonardo Crescenti Neto
Official Awards In Competition Palme d'Or: The Ballad of Narayama by Shōhei Imamura Grand Prix: Monty Python's The Meaning of Life by Terry Jones Best Director: The prize was shared under the bespoke title . Robert Bresson for L'Argent Andrei Tarkovsky for Nostalghia Best Actress: Hanna Schygulla for The Story of Piera Best Actor: Gian Maria Volonté for The Death of Mario Ricci Best Artistic Contribution: Carmen by Carlos Saura Jury Prize: Kharij by Mrinal Sen
Caméra d'Or The Princess by Pál Erdöss
Short Film Palme d'Or Je sais que j'ai tort mais demandez à mes copains ils disent la même chose by Pierre Levy Jury Prize: The Only Forgotten Take of Casablanca by Charly Weller Too Much Oregano by Kerry Feltham
Independent Awards
FIPRESCI Prizes Nostalghia by Andrei Tarkovsky (In competition) Daniel Takes a Train by Pál Sándor (Directors' Fortnight)
Commission Supérieure Technique Technical Grand Prize: Carmen by Carlos Saura
Prize of the Ecumenical Jury Nostalghia by Andrei Tarkovsky
Award of the Youth Foreign Film: Miss Lonelyhearts by Michael Dinner
References
Media INA: Opening of the 1983 Festival (commentary in French) INA: Directors' Fortnight, 1983 (commentary in French) INA: Closing evening of the 1983 festival (commentary in French)
External links 1983 Cannes Film Festival (web.archive) Official website Retrospective 1983 Cannes Film Festival Awards for 1983 at Internet Movie Database