List of Indian winners and nominees at the Cannes Film Festival
The Indian cinema presence at the Cannes Film Festival has been strong since 1946. The first big moment came in 1946 when Neecha Nagar won the festival’s top prize, Grand Prix du Festival International du Film.
Key highlights over the years:
- 1955: Baby Naaz received Special Mention (child actress) for Boot Polish.
- 1956: Pather Panchali won the Best Human Document Award; Gotoma the Buddha received a Special Mention for Best Direction.
- 1983: Mrinal Sen’s Kharij won the Jury Prize.
- 1988: Salaam Bombay! by Mira Nair won the Caméra d'Or (Golden Camera).
- 1989: Piravi by Shaji N. Karun earned the Caméra d'Or - Mention Spéciale.
- 1999: Marana Simhasanam by Murali Nair received the Caméra d'Or.
Centenary and country showcases:
- 2015 marked 100 Years of Indian Cinema, with India as Official Guest Country at the 66th Cannes. The Incredible India Exhibition was opened by Indian actor Chiranjeevi.
- At the 35th Cannes, Satyajit Ray received the 35th Anniversary Trophy and an Hommage à Satyajit Ray was held in his honor.
- 2005 saw the launch of Tous Les Cinemas du Monde (World Cinema), to showcase films from many countries.
- 60th Cannes (2007) featured several Indian screenings, including Saira, Missed Call, Lage Raho Munna Bhai, Dosar, Veyil, Guru, Goal, and Dharm.
Recent official and special showcases:
- The 66th Cannes again named India as Official Guest Country, with special screenings of Indian films such as Bombay Talkies, Monsoon Shootout, Charulata, Bollywood: The Greatest Love Story Ever Told, The Lunchbox, Ugly, Eega, and Tau Seru.
- In 2022, India was the Official Country of Honour at the Cannes Market, celebrating 75 years of India-France diplomatic ties. There were beach screenings of six Indian feature films, including Pratidwandi (1970), Godavari (2021), Alpha Beta Gamma (2021), Rocketry: The Nambi Effect (2022), Dhuin (2022), and Boomba Ride (2022).
- The Goes to Cannes section featured five Work in Progress Lab titles: Baghjan, Bailadila, Ek Jagah Apni (A Space of Our Own), Follower, and Shivamma. The India - Content Hub of the World Pavilion also opened at the venue on 18 May 2022.
World Classic and recent recognition:
- In 2023, Ishanou (The Chosen One), a Meitei-language film from 1990, was recognized as a World Classic by Cannes and was the only Indian film selected that year. It had previously been featured in the Un Certain Regard section in 1991.
This page was last edited on 2 February 2026, at 16:13 (CET).