The 61st Annual Cannes Film Festival took place from 14 to 25 May 2008. American actor and filmmaker Sean Penn served as jury president for the main competition. French filmmaker Laurent Cantet won the Palme d'Or, the festival's top prize, for the drama film The Class. The festival opened with Blindness by Fernando Meirelles and closed with What Just Happened by Barry Levinson. Édouard Baer was the master of ceremonies. The British press reported the list of films in competition this year was notable for its absence of British films for the second successive year.

Juries

Main competition

The following people were appointed as the Jury for the feature films of the 2008 Official Selection:

Un Certain Regard

Cinefondation and Short Films Competition

Caméra 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 competition of Un Certain Regard:

Out of Competition

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

Special Screenings

The following films were selected for the Special Screenings:

Cinéfondation

The following short films were selected for the competition of Cinéfondation:

Short film competition

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

Cannes Classics

Cannes Classics places the spotlight on documentaries about cinema and restored masterworks from the past. Tributes Documentaries about Cinema Restored prints

Parallel sections

International Critics' Week

The following films were screened for the 47th International Critics' Week (47e Semaine de la Critique): Feature film competition Short film competition Special screenings

Directors' Fortnight

The following films were screened for the 2008 Directors' Fortnight (Quinzaine des Réalizateurs): Feature films Special screenings Short films

Official Awards

In Competition

The following films and people received the 2008 Official selection awards:

Un Certain Regard

Cinéfondation

Caméra d'Or

Short Films Competition

Independent Awards

FIPRESCI Prizes

Vulcan Award of the Technical Artist

Prize of the Ecumenical Jury

International Critics' Week

Regards Jeunes Prize

Prix François Chalais