The François Chalais Prize (French: Prix François Chalais) is awarded on the eve of the official competition awards ceremony and rewards films dedicated to the values of journalism.
It's most recent winner was the drama film Fjord by Cristian Mungiu at the 2026 Cannes Film Festival.
History The prize is awarded at two main events, the Cannes Film Festival (since 1997) and the Young Reporters' Awards (since 1999). It has also offered awards for the Film Festival of Sarlat (2006–2009), and for the Scénario Honfleur (2006–2009).
The François Chalais Prize was created in 1996 by his wife Mei-Chen Chalais to pay tribute to the work of the great reporter and film-maker who covered nearly fifty editions of the Festival.
Its first winner was the Bosnian War drama film The Perfect Circle by Ademir Kenović at the 1997 Cannes Film Festival.
Winners 1990s YearEnglish titleOriginal titleDirector(s)Production country1997The Perfect CircleSavršeni krugAdemir KenovićBosnia and Herzegovina1998West BeirutZiad DoueiriLebanon1999The OtherYoussef ChahineEgypt, France
2000s YearEnglish titleOriginal titleDirector(s)Production country2000KippurכיפורAmos GitaiIsrael2001Made in the USASólveig AnspachBelgium, France2002Marooned in IraqBahman GhobadiIran2003S-21: The Khmer Rouge Killing MachineS-21, la machine de mort Khmère rougeRithy PanhCambodia, France2004The Motorcycle DiariesDiarios de motocicletaWalter SallesArgentina, Brazil, United States, Chile, Peru, United Kingdom, Germany, France2005Once You're Born You Can No Longer HideQuando sei nato non puoi più nascondertiMarco Tullio GiordanaItaly, France, United Kingdom2006BabelAlejandro González IñárrituUnited States, Mexico, Morocco, France2007A Mighty HeartMichael WinterbottomUnited States2008Wild BloodSanguepazzoMarco Tullio GiordanaItaly2009No One Knows About Persian CatsBahman GhobadiIran
2010s YearEnglish titleOriginal titleDirector(s)Production country2010Life, Above AllOliver SchmitzSouth Africa2011Where Do We Go Now?Nadine LabakiLebanon, France, Egypt, Italy2012Horses of GodNabil AyouchMorocco, Belgium2013Grand CentralRebecca ZlotowskiFrance, Austria2014TimbuktuAbderrahmane SissakoMauritania, France2015Son of SaulSaul fiaLászló NemesHungary2016The StudentУченикKirill SerebrennikovRussia2017BPM (Beats per Minute)120 battements par minuteRobin CampilloFrance2018YomeddineAbu Bakr ShawkyEgypt2019A Hidden LifeTerrence MalickGermany, United States
2020s YearEnglish titleOriginal titleDirector(s)Production country2021A HeroAsghar FarhadiIran, France2022Boy from Heavenصبي من الجنةTarik SalehSweden, France, Finland2023Four DaughtersKaouther Ben HaniaTunisia, France, Germany, Saudi Arabia2024The Seed of the Sacred FigMohammad RasoulofIran, Germany, France2025Two ProsecutorsZwei StaatsanwälteSergei LoznitsaLatvia, France, Germany, Netherlands, Romania, Lithuania2026FjordCristian MungiuRomania, Norway, Denmark, France, Sweden
References
External links Association François Chalais