The 41st Cannes Film Festival took place from 11 to 23 May 1988. Italian filmmaker Ettore Scola served as jury president for the main competition.
Danish filmmaker Bille August won the Palme d'Or, the festival's top prize, for his drama film Pelle the Conqueror.
The festival opened with The Big Blue by Luc Besson, and closed with Willow by Ron Howard.
Juries Main competition Ettore Scola, Italian filmmaker - Jury President Claude Berri, French filmmaker, producer, and actor William Goldman, American author Nastassja Kinski, German actress George Miller, Australian filmmaker Robby Müller, Dutch cinematographer Héctor Olivera, Argentine filmmaker and producer David Robinson, British film critic Yelena Safonova, Soviet actress Philippe Sarde, French composer
Camera d'Or Danièle Delorme, French actress - Jury President Carlos Avellar, journalist Jacques Champreux, French director Henry Chapier, French film critic Chantal Calafato, cinephile Bernard Jubard Ekaterina Oproiu, journalist David Streiff, cinephile
Official selection In Competition The following feature films competed for the Palme d'Or: English titleOriginal titleDirector(s)Production countryThe AbyssL'oeuvre au noirAndré DelvauxFrance, BelgiumBirdClint EastwoodUnited StatesThe CannibalsOs CanibaisManoel de OliveiraPortugalChocolat Claire DenisFrance, CameroonEl DoradoCarlos SauraSpainDrowning by NumbersPeter GreenawayUnited Kingdom, NetherlandsL'enfance de l'artFrancis GirodFranceHanussen István SzabóHungary, West Germany, AustriaKing of the Children孩子王Chen KaigeChinaLove and Fear Fürchten und LiebenMargarethe von TrottaWest Germany, France, ItalyEl Lute II: Tomorrow I'll be FreeEl Lute II: mañana seré libreVicente ArandaSpainMiles from HomeGary SiniseUnited StatesPascali's IslandJames DeardenUnited KingdomThe Passenger – Welcome to GermanyDer Passagier – Welcome to GermanyThomas BraschWest GermanyPatty HearstPaul SchraderUnited StatesPelle the ConquerorPelle ErobrerenBille AugustDenmark, SwedenThe Navigator: A Medieval OdysseyVincent WardNew Zealand, AustraliaA Short Film About KillingKrótki film o zabijaniuKrzysztof KieślowskiPolandSouthSur Fernando SolanasArgentinaA World ApartChris MengesUnited Kingdom, ZimbabweWuthering Heights嵐が丘Yoshishige YoshidaJapan Un Certain Regard The following films were selected for the Un Certain Regard section: English titleOriginal titleDirector(s)Production countryAmong Grey StonesСреди серых камнейKira MuratovaSoviet UnionAntarjali Jatraঅন্তর্জলী যাত্রাGoutam GhoseIndiaGece YolculuğuÖmer KavurTurkeyThe Harms CaseSlučaj HarmsSlobodan D. PesicYugoslaviaHavinck Frans WeiszNetherlandsHotel Terminus: The Life and Times of Klaus BarbieHôtel Terminus: Klaus Barbie, sa vie et son tempsMarcel OphulsUnited StatesIt's Happening TomorrowDomani accadràDaniele LuchettiItalyKatinkaVed vejenMax von SydowDenmark, SwedenLamentoFrançois DupeyronFranceLounge ChairLa méridienneJean-François AmiguetSwitzerland, FranceMapantsulaOliver SchmitzSouth AfricaThe MaskLa mascheraFiorella InfascelliItalyNatalia Bernard CohnFranceOn the Silver GlobeNa srebrnym globieAndrzej ŻuławskiPolandThe Raggedy RawneyBob HoskinsUnited KingdomThe Revolving DoorsLes Portes tournantesFrancis MankiewiczCanada, FranceRouge of the North怨女Fred TanTaiwanSand and BloodDe sable et de sangJeanne LabruneFranceA Song of AirMerilee BennettAustraliaStalin's Disciplesילדי סטאליןNadav LevitanIsraelTime of ViolenceВреме на насилиеLudmil StaikovBulgariaWhy?Proc?Karel SmyczekCzechoslovakia Out of Competition The following films were selected to be screened out of competition: English titleOriginal titleDirector(s)Production countryThe Big Blue (opening film)Le Grand BleuLuc BessonFrance, United States, ItalyThe Blue IguanaJohn LafiaUnited StatesThe Milagro Beanfield WarRobert RedfordWillow (closing film) Ron Howard
Special Screenings The following films were selected to receive a special screening: English titleOriginal titleDirector(s)Production countryDear America: Letters Home from VietnamBill CouturiéUnited StatesHistoire(s) du cinémaJean-Luc GodardFrance, Switzerland
Short film competition The following short films competed for the Palme d'Or du court métrage:
Ab Ovo / Homoknyomok (Traces of Sand) by Ferenc Cako Bukpytacy (Fioritures) by Gary Bardine Cat & Mousse by David Lawson Chet's Romance by Bertrand Fevre Out of Town by Norman Hull Pas-ta-shoot-ah by Maurizio Forestieri Pleasure Domes by Maggie Fooke Sculpture Physique by Yann Piquer, Jean Marie Maddeddu Super Freak by Gisela Ekholm, Per Ekholm
Parallel sections International Critics' Week The following feature films were screened for the 27th International Critics' Week (27e Semaine de la Critique):
Feature film competition
Begurebis gadaprena by Temür Babluani (Soviet Union) Full Moon (Dolunay) by Sahin Kaygun (Turkey) Tokyo Pop by Fran Rubel Kuzui (USA) The Well (Jing) by Yalin Li (China) Testament by John Akomfrah (United Kingdom) Portrait of a Life (Ekti Jiban) by Raja Mitra (India) My Dear Subject (Mon cher sujet) by Anne-Marie Miéville (France, Switzerland)
Short film competition
La face cachée de la lune by Yvon Marciano (France) Metropolis Apocalypse by Jon Jacobs (United Kingdom) Artisten (The Artist) by Jonas Grimas (Sweden) Klatka (The cage) by Olaf Olszewski (Poland) Cidadao Jatoba (Citizen Jatoba) by Maria Luiza Aboïm (Brazil) Blues Black and White by Markus Imboden (Switzerland)
Directors' Fortnight The following feature films were screened for the 1988 Directors' Fortnight (Quinzaine des Réalizateurs):
Amerika, Terra Incognita by Diego Risquez Daughter of the Nile (Ni luo he nu er) by Hou Hsiao-Hsien by Robert Van Ackeren Distant Voices, Still Lives by Terence Davies Ei by Danniel Danniel The Heat Line (La Ligne de chaleur) by Hubert-Yves Rose Herseye Ragmen by Orhan Oguz Légendes Vivantes by Nodar Managadzé Mars Froid by Igor Minayev Natal da Portela by Paulo Cezar Saraceni Noujoum A’nahar by Oussama Mohammad Salaam Bombay! by Mira Nair Summer Thefts (Sarikat Sayfeya) by Yousry Nasrallah Soursweet by Mike Newell Stormy Monday by Mike Figgis The Story of Fausta (Romance Da Empregada) by Bruno Barreto Tabataba by Raymond Rajaonarivelo The Suitors by Ghasem Ebrahimian
Official Awards
In Competition Palme d'Or: Pelle the Conqueror by Bille August Grand Prix: A World Apart by Chris Menges Best Director: Fernando Solanas for Sur Best Actress: Barbara Hershey, Jodhi May and Linda Mvusi for A World Apart Best Actor: Forest Whitaker for Bird Best Artistic Contribution: Peter Greenaway for Drowning by Numbers Jury Prize: A Short Film About Killing by Krzysztof Kieślowski
Caméra d'Or Salaam Bombay! by Mira Nair Short films
Short Film Palme d'Or Vykrutasy by Garri Bardin Short Film Prize for Animation: Traces of Sand by Ferenc Cako Short Film Prize for Fiction: Physical Sculpture by Yann Piquer and Jean Marie Maddeddu
Independent Awards
FIPRESCI Prizes A Short Film About Killing by Krzysztof Kieślowski (In competition) Hotel Terminus: The Life and Times of Klaus Barbie by Marcel Ophüls (Un Certain Regard) Distant Voices, Still Lives by Terence Davies (Directors' Fortnight)
Commission Supérieure Technique Technical Grand Prize: Bird, for the quality of the soundtrack
Prize of the Ecumenical Jury A World Apart by Chris Menges Special Mention: The Revolving Doors by Francis Mankiewicz
Award of the Youth Foreign Film: Herseye Ragmen by Orhan Oguz French Film: Mon cher sujet by Anne-Marie Miéville
Other awards Audience Award: Salaam Bombay! by Mira Nair
References
Media INA: Opening of the 1988 Cannes Festival (commentary in French) INA: List of winners of the 1988 festival (commentary in French)
External links
1988 Cannes Film Festival (web.archive) Official website Retrospective 1988 Cannes Film Festival Awards for 1988 at Internet Movie Database