Film festival
The 74th annual Cannes Film Festival took place from 6 to 17 July 2021, after having been originally scheduled from 11 to 22 May 2021. American filmmaker Spike Lee was invited to be the president of the jury for the main competition for the festival, after the COVID-19 pandemic in France scuttled plans to have him head the jury of the 2020 Cannes Film Festival. French actress Doria Tillier hosted the opening and closing ceremonies.
French filmmaker Julia Ducournau won the "Palme d'Or" for the horror-drama film "Titane," becoming the second female director to ever win the award and the first to not win jointly with another filmmaker (at the 1993 edition Jane Campion had won jointly with Chen Kaige). The Honorary Palme d'Or was awarded to American actress and filmmaker Jodie Foster and Italian filmmaker Marco Bellocchio.
At the awards closing ceremony, on 17 July 2021, jury president Spike Lee made a gaffe by accidentally announcing the festival's top prize winner at the start of the night instead of the end.
The festival opened with "Annette" by Leos Carax, and closed with "".
Juries.
Independent juries.
Critics' Week
L'Œil d'or
Queer Palm
Official Selection.
In Competition.
The following films were selected to compete for the "Palme d'Or":
 indicates film in competition for the Queer Palm.
"Un Certain Regard".
The following films were selected to compete in the "Un Certain Regard" section:
 indicates film eligible for the Caméra d'Or as a feature directorial debut.
 indicates film in competition for the Queer Palm.
Out of Competition.
The following films were selected to be screened out of competition:
Cannes Premiere.
The following films were selected to be screened in the "Cannes Premiere" section:
 indicates film eligible for the Caméra d'Or as a feature directorial debut.
 indicates film eligible for the Caméra d'Or as a feature directorial debut.
Cinema for the Climate.
Ephemeral section of films about environment:
Short Films Competition.
Out of 3,739 entries, the following films were selected to compete for the Short Film Palme d'Or.
 indicates film in competition for the Queer Palm.
"Cinéfondation".
The Cinéfondation section focuses on films made by students at film schools. The following 17 entries (13 live-action and 4 animated films) were selected out of 1,835 submissions. Four of the films selected represent schools participating in Cinéfondation for the first time.
 indicates film in competition for the Queer Palm.
Cannes Classics.
The full line-up for the Cannes Classics section was announced on 22 June 2021.
"Cinéma de la plage".
The following films have been selected to be screened out of competition, in the "Cinéma de la plage" section.
Parallel sections.
Critics' Week.
The following films were selected to be screened in the Critics' Week.
 indicates film eligible for the Caméra d'Or as a feature directorial debut.
 indicates film in competition for the Queer Palm.
Directors' Fortnight.
The following films were selected to be screened in the Directors' Fortnight section:
 indicates film eligible for the Caméra d'Or as a feature directorial debut.
 indicates film in competition for the Queer Palm.
 indicates film in competition for the Queer Palm.
Official awards.
In Competition.
The following awards were presented for films shown In Competition:
References.
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