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

Camera d'Or

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 22nd International Critics' Week (22e Semaine de la Critique):

Directors' Fortnight

The following films were screened for the 1983 Directors' Fortnight (Quinzaine des Réalizateurs):

Official Awards

In Competition

Caméra d'Or

Short Film Palme d'Or

Independent Awards

FIPRESCI Prizes

Commission Supérieure Technique

Prize of the Ecumenical Jury

Award of the Youth

Media