The Cabourg Film Festival takes place on the seaside of Normandy every year in June. With romance as its theme, the festival presents a selection of films dedicated to passion, love, and fantasies.
The festival was founded by Gonzague Saint Bris in 1983, and its director is Suzel Pietri. Today, the festival reaches several towns on the Côte Fleurie between Cabourg, Houlgate and Dives-sur-Mer. At nightfall, the festival also offers several open air screenings on the beach of Cabourg.
Both the Grand Jury, consisting of professionals from the film and cultural industries, and the Youth Jury awards prizes to the best feature films. In addition to the official competition, the Panorama section allows the public to preview a selection of French and foreign films, which are all eligible for the Audience Award.
The short film competition includes a selection of romantic French shorts that another jury will reward with the following prizes: best short film, best actress, and best actor.
During the closing ceremony, the Festival's Golden Swann Committee, composed of journalists, and film professionals, attributes the following Golden Swanns: the best romantic actress and actor, male and female breakthrough performances, the best director, and the best romantic film of the past year.
The name of the award is a reference to the novel Du côté de chez Swann by Marcel Proust.
The trophy is made by one of the festival's partners, the Monnaie de Paris workshops. The statuette is fashioned in the form of two swans in an embrace to suggest the shape of two hearts.
The Premiers Rendez-Vous section highlights a young French actor and actress in their first appearance on screen. Additionally, since 2018, the Gonzague Saint Bris Prize distinguishes each year the best film adaptation of a literary work.
During the festival, some of the most renowned names in French, European, and international cinema come to present their films to the public or to receive an award: Isabelle Adjani, Swann Arlaud, Jacques Audiard, Emmanuelle Béart, Leïla Bekhti, Juliette Binoche, Sandrine Bonnaire, Lucas Bravo, Patrick Bruel, Guillaume Canet, François Civil, Marion Cotillard, Camille Cottin, Béatrice Dalle, Catherine Deneuve, Émilie Dequenne, Anne Dorval, Léa Drucker, Gad Elmaleh, Guillaume Gallienne, Gustave Kervern, Vincent Lacoste, Sophie Marceau, Noémie Merlant, Pierre Niney, Vanessa Paradis, Léa Seydoux, Céline Sciamma, Audrey Tautou, Zhang Ziyi, Rebecca Zlotowski.
Awards Competition Feature film Grand Prix Short film Best Short Film Best Director Best Actress Best Actor
Panorama Audience Award (Prix du Public)
Premiers Rendez-vous Prix Premier Rendez-Vous
Jeunesse Youth Jury Prize (Prix de la Jeunesse)
Ciné Swann Best Feature Film (Swann d'Or du meilleur long-métrage) Best Director (Swann d'Or du meilleur réalisateur de long-métrage) Best Actress (Swann d'Or de la meilleure actrice) Best Actor (Swann d'Or du meilleur acteur) Female Revelation (Swann d'Or de la Révélation féminine) Male Revelation (Swann d'Or de la Révélation masculine) Coup de Cœur
2000 edition
Feature film Jury President: Raúl Ruiz
Swann d'Or Best Feature Film: Fidelity (La Fidélité) Best Actress: Sophie Marceau – Fidelity (La Fidélité) Best Actor: Jean-Pierre Bacri – The Taste of Others (Le Goût des Autres) Female Revelation: Marion Cotillard – Blue Away to America (Du Bleu jusqu'en Amérique) Male Revelation: Sami Bouajila – The Adventures of Felix (Drôle de Félix) Coup de Foudre: Bernard Giraudeau
Short film Best Short Film: Les Aveugles Best Actress: Nathalie Villeneuve – Carpe Diem Best Actor: Gilberto Azevedo – Des morceaux de ma femme
2001 edition
Feature film Jury President: Claude Pinoteau
Grand Prix: Malèna directed by Giuseppe Tornatore Special mention: Why Get Married the Day the World Ends? (Pourquoi se marier le jour de la fin du Monde ?) directed by Harry Cleven
Swann d'Or Best Director: Jean-Pierre Jeunet – Amélie (Le Fabuleux destin d'Amélie Poulain) Best Actress: Sandrine Bonnaire – Mademoiselle Best Actor: Mathieu Kassovitz – Amélie (Le Fabuleux destin d'Amélie Poulain) Female Revelation: Émilie Dequenne – Brotherhood of the Wolf (Le Pacte des Loups) Male Revelation: Éric Caravaca – Sans plomb Coup de Cœur: Arielle Dombasle Coup de Foudre: Richard Berry
Short film Best Short Film: Jean-Fares Best Actress: Alice Carel – On s'embrasse ? Best Actor: Jean-Luc Abel – On s'embrasse ?
2002 edition
Feature film Jury: Nina Companéez (President), Évelyne Bouix, Marie Nimier
Grand Prix: Riding in Cars with Boys directed by Penny Marshall Special mention: Irène directed by Yvan Calberac
Swann d'Or Best Director: Yvan Attal – My Wife Is an Actress (Ma femme est une actrice) Best Actress: Mathilde Seigner – The Girl from Paris (Une hirondelle a fait le printemps) Best Actor: Sergi López – Women or Children First (Les Femmes... ou les enfants d'abord...) Female Revelation: Mélanie Doutey – The Warrior's Brother (Le Frère du guerrier) Male Revelation: Bernard Campan – Beautiful Memories (Se souvenir des belles choses) Coup de Cœur: Mylène Demongeot
Short film Best Short Film: J'attendrai le suivant Best Actress: Dinara Droukarova – Pensée assise Best Actor: Thomas Gaudin – J'attendrai le suivant
2003 edition
Feature film Jury: Antoine de Caunes (President), Sacha Bourdo, Bruno Chiche, Vincent Delerm, Marie Gillain, Vincent Lannoo, Stanislas Merhar
Grand Prix: Life Kills Me (Vivre me tue) directed by Jean-Pierre Sinapi
Swann d'Or Best Director: Jean-Paul Rappeneau – Bon Voyage Best Actress: Isabelle Adjani – Adolphe Best Actor: Bernard Giraudeau – That Day (Ce Jour-Là) Female Revelation: Morgane Moré – Once Upon an Angel (Peau d'Ange) Male Revelation: Jalil Lespert – Life Kills Me (Vivre me tue) Coup de Cœur: Isabelle Adjani
Short film Best Short Film: L'Escalier Best Actress: Nina Meurisse – L'Escalier Best Actor: Moussa Maaskri – Quand le vent tisse les fleurs
2004 edition
Feature film Grand Prix: The Consequences of Love directed by Paolo Sorrentino
Swann d'Or Best Director: Abdellatif Kechiche – Games of Love and Chance (L'Esquive) Best Actress: Karin Viard – France Boutique Best Actor: Patrick Bruel – Une vie à t'attendre Female Revelation: Sara Forestier – Games of Love and Chance (L'Esquive) Male Revelation: Nicolas Duvauche – Eager Bodies (Les Corps impatients) Coup de Cœur: Josiane Balasko
Short film Best Short Film: Cousines Best Actress: Marie-Laure Descoureaux – Hymne à la gazelle Best Actor: Adrien de Van – Trois jeunes tambours
2005 edition
Feature film Grand Prix: My Summer of Love directed by Paweł Pawlikowski
Swann d'Or Best Director: Arnaud Desplechin – Kings and Queen (Rois et Reine) Best Actress: Valeria Bruni Tedeschi – 5x2 & Crustacés et Coquillages Best Actor: Vincent Lindon – The Moustache Female Revelation: Lola Naymark – A Common Thread (Brodeuses) Male Revelation: Nicolas Cazalé – Le Grand Voyage Coup de Cœur: Charlotte Rampling
Short film Best Short Film: Pépins Noirs Best Actress: Thérèse Roussel – Le Temps des cerises Best Actor: Fred Epaud – Libre échange Prix Cinecourts: After Shave directed by Hany Tamba
Jeunesse Youth Jury Prize: My Summer of Love directed by Paweł Pawlikowski
2006 edition
Feature film Jury: Xavier Beauvois, Soledad Bravi, Catherine Jacob, Julie Lopes-Curval, Caterina Murino, Brigitte Roüan, Pascale Roze
Grand Prix: Lower City directed by Sérgio Machado Special mention: Quinceañera directed by Richard Glatzer and Wash Westmoreland
Swann d'Or Best Director: Michele Placido – Romanzo Criminale (Rois et Reine) Best Actress: Cécile de France – Avenue Montaigne (Fauteuils d'orchestre) Best Actor: Michel Blanc – You Are So Beautiful (Je vous trouve très beau) Female Revelation: Anna Mouglalis – Romanzo Criminale Male Revelation: Lorànt Deutsch – Les Amants du Flore
Short film Best Director: Maryline Canto – Fais de beaux rêves Best Actress: Thérèse Roussel – Béa Best Actor: Aymeric Cormerais – Béa Special mention: Des putes dans les arbres Prix Cinecourts: La Petite Flamme directed by Elizabeth Marre and Olivier Pont
Jeunesse Youth Jury Prize: Lower City directed by Sérgio Machado Special mention: The Yacoubian Building directed by Marwan Hamed
2007 edition
Feature film Jury: Andrzej Żuławski (President), Anne Consigny, Agnès de Sacy, Yves Marmion, Roxane Mesquida, Sagamore Stévenin, Colo Tavernier O'Hagan
Grand Prix: Franz + Polina directed by Mikhail Segal
Swann d'Or Best Director: Christophe Honoré – Love Songs (Les Chansons d'amour) Best Actress: Marion Cotillard – La Vie en Rose (La Môme) Best Actor: Guillaume Canet – Hunting and Gathering (Ensemble, c'est tout) Female Revelation: Clémence Poésy – Le Grand Meaulnes Male Revelation: Fu'ad Aït Aattou – The Last Mistress (Une vieille maîtresse)
Short film Best Director: Alice Winocour – Magic Paris Best Actress: Johanna ter Steege – Magic Paris Best Actor: Jonathan Zaccaï – De l'Amour
Jeunesse Youth Jury Prize: Water Lilies (Naissance des Pieuvres) directed by Céline Sciamma
2008 edition
Feature film Jury: Jean-Pierre Denis (President), Lolita Chammah, Emmanuelle Cosso-Mérad, Hafsia Herzi, Maïwenn, Anne Le Ny, Jean-François Lepetit, Claire Nebout, Clément Sibony, Erick Zonca
Grand Prix: Alice's House (A Casa de Alice) directed by Chico Teixeira
Swann d'Or Best Director: Emmanuel Mouret – Shall We Kiss? (Un baiser s'il vous plaît) Best Actress: Laetitia Casta – Born in 68 (Nés en 68) Best Actor: Patrick Bruel – A Secret (Un secret) Female Revelation: Anne Marivin – Welcome to the Sticks (Bienvenue chez les Ch'tis) Male Revelation: Yannick Renier – Born in 68 (Nés en 68)
Short film Best Director: Samuel Tilman – Voix de garage Best Actress: Julie Gayet – S'éloigner du rivage Best Actor: Dominique Wittorski – 6ème Ciel
Jeunesse Youth Jury Prize: Cherry Blossoms directed by Doris Dörrie
2009 edition
Feature film Jury: Sam Karmann (President), Marie-Anne Chazel, Mélanie Doutey, Julie Gayet, François Kraus, Vahina Giocante, Jacques Fieschi, Jérôme Bonnell, Nicolas Giraud
Grand Prix (ex-æquo): Somers Town directed by Shane Meadows Sometime in August directed by Sebastian Schipper
Swann d'Or Best Director: Stephen Frears – Chéri Best Actress: Émilie Dequenne – The Girl on the Train (La Fille du RER) Best Actor: Benoît Poelvoorde – Coco Before Chanel (Coco avant Chanel) Female Revelation: Anaïs Demoustier – Les Grandes Personnes Male Revelation: Jérémy Kapone – LOL (Laughing Out Loud)
Short film Jury: Robin Renucci (President), Jeanne Cherhal, Cécile Cassel, Bouraouia Marzouk, Francois Vincentelli, Nicolas Rollinger
Best Director: Rúnar Rúnarsson – Two Birds Best Actress: Camille Claris – En Douce Best Actor: Nazmi Kirik – Sidewalk
Jeunesse Youth Jury Prize: Somers Town directed by Shane Meadows
Panorama Audience Award: Tengri: Blue Heavens directed by Marie-Jaoul de Poncheville
Premiers Rendez-vous Prix Premiers Rendez-vous: Firat Ayverdi – Welcome Àstrid Bergès-Frisbey – The Sea Wall (Un Barrage contre le Pacifique)
2010 edition
Feature film Grand Prix (ex-æquo): Air Doll directed by Hirokazu Koreeda Come Undone (Cosa voglio di più) directed by Silvio Soldini
Swann d'Or Best Romantic Comedy: Heartbreaker (L'Arnacœur) Best Director: Julie Delpy – The Countess (La Comtesse) Best Actress: Marina Hands – Ensemble, nous allons vivre une très très grande histoire d'amour Best Actor: Éric Elmosnino – Gainsbourg: A Heroic Life (Gainsbourg (Vie héroïque)) Female Revelation: Leïla Bekhti – Tout ce qui brille Male Revelation: Vincent Rottiers – Silent Voice (Qu'un seul tienne et les autres suivront) Coup de Cœur: Christophe Lambert – Trivial (La Disparue de Deauville), Cartagena (L'Homme de chevet) and White Material Coup de Foudre: Mammuth directed by Gustave Kervern and Benoît Delépine
Short film