The 49th Cannes Film Festival took place from 9 to 20 May 1996. American filmmaker Francis Ford Coppola served as jury president for the main competition. Sabine Azéma hosted the opening and closing ceremonies. British filmmaker Mike Leigh won the Palme d'Or, the festival's top prize, for the drama film Secrets & Lies. The festival opened with Ridicule by Patrice Leconte, and closed with Flirting with Disaster by David O. Russell.

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 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 films were screened for the 35th International Critics' Week (35e Semaine de la Critique): Feature film competition Short film competition

Directors' Fortnight

The following films were screened for the 1996 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

International Critics' Week

Award the First Multimedia Day at the 49th Cannes Film festival

Media