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 Wim Wenders, West German filmmaker - Jury President Héctor Babenco, Argentine-Brazilian filmmaker Claude Beylie Renée Blanchar, Canadian filmmaker Silvio Clementelli, Italian producer Georges Delerue, French composer Sally Field, American actress Christine Gouze-Rénal, French producer Peter Handke, Austrian author Krzysztof Kieślowski, Polish filmmaker
Camera d'Or Raf Vallone, Italian actor - Jury President Klaus Eder, journalist Yvan Gauthier, cinephile Bernard Jubard Philippe Maarek, film critic Moustafa Salah Hashem, film critic Peter Scarlet, cinephile Suzanne Schiffman, French filmmaker
Official selection In Competition The following feature films competed for the Palme d'Or: English titleOriginal titleDirector(s)Production countryBlack Rain黒い雨Shōhei ImamuraJapanChimère Claire DeversFranceCinema ParadisoNuovo cinema ParadisoGiuseppe TornatoreItaly, FranceDo the Right ThingSpike LeeUnited StatesEvil AngelsFred SchepisiAustralia, United StatesFrancescoLiliana CavaniItaly, West GermanyJesus of MontrealJésus de MontréalDenys ArcandCanada, FranceKuarup Ruy GuerraBrazilLost AngelsHugh HudsonUnited StatesMonsieur HirePatrice LeconteFranceMoon ChildEl niño de la lunaAgustí VillarongaSpainMystery TrainJim JarmuschUnited States, JapanReunionJerry SchatzbergUnited Kingdom, France, West GermanyRosalie Goes ShoppingPercy AdlonWest GermanySex, Lies, and VideotapeSteven SoderberghUnited StatesSpider's WebDas SpinnennetzBernhard WickiWest GermanySplendor Ettore ScolaItalySweetieJane CampionAustraliaTime of the GypsiesДом за вешањеEmir KusturicaYugoslavia, ItalyToo Beautiful for YouTrop belle pour toiBertrand BlierFranceTorrents of SpringJerzy SkolimowskiUnited Kingdom, France, ItalyThe Women on the RoofKvinnorna på taketCarl-Gustav NykvistSweden
Un Certain Regard The following films were selected for the Un Certain Regard section: English titleOriginal titleDirector(s)Production countryBlack SinSchwarze SündeJean-Marie Straub and Danièle HuilletWest Germany, FranceBaroqueBarrocoPaul LeducMexico, CubaErrors of YouthОшибки юностиBoris FruminSoviet UnionFool's MateZugzwangMathieu CarrièreWest GermanyGolden Horseshoesصفايح ذهبNouri BouzidTunisiaMalpractice Bill BennettAustraliaMy 20th CenturyAz én XX. századomIldikó EnyediHungary, West Germany, CubaNine Circles of HellDevět kruhů peklaMilan MuchnaCzechoslovakiaPiravi Shaji N. KarunIndiaThe Prisoner of St. PetersburgIan PringleAustralia, West GermanySanta SangreAlejandro JodorowskyMexico, ItalyThe Tenth One in HidingIl decimo clandestinoLina WertmüllerItalyThick SkinnedPeaux de vachesPatricia MazuyFranceTreffen in TraversMichael GwisdekEast GermanyVenus PeterIan SellarUnited KingdomVoices of Sarafina!Nigel NobleUnited StatesWhirlwind СмерчBako SadykovSoviet UnionWhy Has Bodhi-Dharma Left for the East?달마가 동쪽으로 간 까닭은?Bae Yong-kyunSouth KoreaWired Larry PeerceUnited States
Out of Competition The following films were selected to be screened out of competition: English titleOriginal titleDirector(s)Production countryNew York Stories (opening film)Woody Allen, Francis Ford Coppola and Martin ScorseseUnited StatesOld Gringo (closing film)Luis Puenzo
Special Screenings The following films were selected to receive a special screening: English titleOriginal titleDirector(s)Production country1001 films (short)André DelvauxBelgium50 ans (short)Gilles CarleCanadaFight for UsOrapronobisLino BrockaPhilippinesGanashatruগণশত্রু Satyajit RayIndiaLawrence of Arabia (1962)David LeanUnited Kingdom, United StatesLibertéLaurent JacobFranceThe Monkey FolkLe peuple singeGérard VienneScandal Michael Caton-JonesUnited Kingdom
Short Films Competition The following short films competed for the Short Film Palme d'Or:
Beau Fixe Sur Cormeilles by Gilles Lacombe Blind Alley by Emmanuel Salinger Full Metal Racket by William Nunez The Gest of Segu (Segu janjo) by Mambaye Coulibaly Kitchen Sink by Alison Maclean Manly Games (Muzné hry) by Jan Svankmajer Performance Pieces (Morceaux Choisis) by Tom Abrams The Persistent Peddler (Le Colporteur) by Claude Cloutier Le Théâtre du Père Carlo by Rao Kheidmets Yes We Can by Faith Hubley
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
Rose of the Desert (Rose des Sables) by Mohamed Rachid Benhadj (Algeria) Tjoet Nja’ Dhien by Eros Djarot (Indonesia) As Tears Go By by Wong Kar-wai (Hong Kong) Waller's Last Trip (Wallers letzter Gang) by Christian Wagner (West Germany) Arab by Fadhel Jaibi and Fadhel Jaziri (Tunisia) La Ville de Yun by U-Sun Kim (Japan) Les Poissons morts (Die toten Fische) by Michael Synek (Austria) Montalvo et l’enfant by Claude Mourieras (France) Black Square (Chyornyy kvadrat) by Iosif Pasternak (Soviet Union) Duende by Jean-Blaise Junod (Switzerland)
Short film competition
Warszawa Koluszki by Jerzy Zalewski (Poland) Le Porte plume by Marie-Christine Perrodin (France) Blind Curve by Gary Markowitz (United States) The Three Soldiers by Kamal Musale (Switzerland) Work Experience by James Hendrie (United Kingdom) Der Mensch mit den modernen Nerven by Bady Minck (Austria/Luxembourg) Trombone en coulisses by Hubert Toint (Belgium, France) Wstega mobiusa by Lukasz Karwowski (Poland) La Femme mariée de Nam Xuong by Tran Anh Hung (France)
Directors' Fortnight The following feature films were screened for the 1989 Directors' Fortnight (Quinzaine des Réalizateurs):
Caracas by Michael Schottenberg Der 7. Kontinent by Michael Haneke by Rudolf Thome Eat a Bowl Of Tea by Wayne Wang El Rio que nos Lleva by Antonio del Real Zerograd by Karen Shakhnazarov Il piccolo diavolo by Roberto Benigni Maria Von Den Sternen by Thomas Mauch by Niu Peng by Dai Sijie Piccoli Equivoci by Ricky Tognazzi Sidewalk Stories by Charles Lane Sis by Zülfü Livaneli Speaking Parts by Atom Egoyan Yaaba by Idrissa Ouedraogo
Official Awards In Competition Palme d'Or: Sex, Lies, and Videotape by Steven Soderbergh Grand Prix: Cinema Paradiso by Giuseppe Tornatore Too Beautiful for You by Bertrand Blier Best Director: Emir Kusturica for Time of the Gypsies Best Actress: Meryl Streep for Evil Angels Best Actor: James Spader for Sex, Lies, and Videotape Best Artistic Contribution: Jim Jarmusch for Mystery Train Jury Prize: Jesus of Montreal by Denys Arcand Special Award: Gregory Peck
Caméra d'Or My 20th Century by Ildikó Enyedi Special Mention: Piravi by Shaji N. Karun Waller's Last Trip by Christian Wagner
Short Film Palme d'Or 50 ans by Gilles Carle Best Short Film: Performance Pieces by Tom Abrams Yes We Can by Faith Hubley
Independent Awards
FIPRESCI Prizes Sex, Lies, and Videotape by Steven Soderbergh (In competition) Yaaba by Idrissa Ouedraogo (Directors' Fortnight)
Commission Supérieure Technique Technical Grand Prize: Black Rain by Shōhei Imamura
Prize of the Ecumenical Jury Jesus of Montreal by Denys Arcand Special Mention: Black Rain by Shōhei Imamura Yaaba by Idrissa Ouedraogo
Award of the Youth Foreign Film: Caracas by Michael Schottenberg References
Media INA: Climbing of the steps for the opening of the 1989 festival (commentary in French) INA: Assessment of and reactions to the list of winners of the 1989 Festival (commentary in French)
External links
1989 Cannes Film Festival (web.archive) Official website Retrospective 1989 Cannes Film Festival Awards for 1989 at Internet Movie Database