The 32nd Cannes Film Festival took place from 10 to 24 May 1979. French writer Françoise Sagan served as jury president for the main competition. The Palme d'Or, the festival's top prize, was jointly awarded to Apocalypse Now by Francis Ford Coppola (screened as a work in progress), and The Tin Drum by Volker Schlöndorff. Sagan, raised a controversy as she complained about Robert Favre Le Bret, director of the festival, pressure on the jury for the choice of Coppola's film, while she had chose Schlöndorff's film. The festival opened with Hair by Miloš Forman, and closed with Us Two by Claude Lelouch.

Jury

Main Competition

Official selection

In Competition

The following feature films competed for the Palme d'Or:

Un Certain Regard

The following films were selected for the Un Certain Regard section:

Out of Competition

The following films were selected to be screened out of competition:

Short Films Competition

The following short films competed for the Short Film Palme d'Or:

Parallel sections

International Critics' Week

The following feature films were screened for the 18th International Critics' Week (18e Semaine de la Critique):

Directors' Fortnight

The following films were screened for the 1979 Directors' Fortnight (Quinzaine des Réalizateurs):

Official Awards

Main Competition

The following films and people received the 1979 Official selection awards:

Caméra d'Or

Short Film Palme d'Or

Independent Awards

FIPRESCI Prizes

Commission Supérieure Technique

Prize of the Ecumenical Jury

Young Cinema Award

Media