The 42nd Cannes Film Festival took place from 11 to 23 May 1989. West German filmmaker Wim Wenders served as jury president for the main competition. American filmmaker Steven Soderbergh won the Palme d'Or, the festival's top prize, for his debut film Sex, Lies, and Videotape. During the 1989 festival, the first Cinéma & liberté forum was held with the participation of a hundred famous directors from various countries. They discussed about the freedom of expression and signed a declaration protesting against all forms of censorship still existing in the world. The festival opened with New York Stories, an anthology film by Woody Allen, Francis Ford Coppola, Martin Scorsese, and closed with Old Gringo by Luis Puenzo.

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:

Special Screenings

The following films were selected to receive a special screening:

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 28th International Critics' Week (28e Semaine de la Critique): Feature film competition Short film competition

Directors' Fortnight

The following feature films were screened for the 1989 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