The 64th Cannes Film Festival took place from 11 to 22 May 2011. American actor Robert De Niro served as the president of the jury for the main competition. American filmmaker Terrence Malick won the Palme d'Or, the festival's top prize, for the drama film The Tree of Life.
Italian film director Bernardo Bertolucci was presented with the Honorary Palme d'Or during the opening ceremony of the festival. The official poster for the festival featured a 1970's photo of American actress Faye Dunaway. Mélanie Laurent hosted the opening and closing ceremonies.
Jailed Iranian filmmakers Jafar Panahi and Mohammad Rasoulof were honoured at the festival. Goodbye by Rasoulof and Panahi's This Is Not a Film were screened at the festival.
Danish filmmaker Lars von Trier caused controversy with comments made during Melancholia<nowiki/>'s press conference, when asked about the relation between the influences of German Romanticism in the film and his own German heritage, the director made jokes about Jews and Nazis. Stating that he "understood" Adolf Hitler and admired the work of architect Albert Speer, and jokingly announced that he was a Nazi. The Cannes Film Festival organization first issued an official apology for the remarks the same day and clarified that Trier was not a Nazi or an antisemite, the following day the filmmaker was declared "persona non grata", though the film remained in competition, winning Best Actress for Kirsten Dunst.
The festival opened with Midnight in Paris by Woody Allen, and closed with Beloved by Christophe Honoré.
The following people were appointed as the Jury for the feature films of the 2011 Official Selection:
Nespresso Grand Prize
For the first time ever, four female directors were featured in the main competition: Australian filmmaker Julia Leigh, Japanese filmmaker Naomi Kawase, Scottish filmmaker Lynne Ramsay and French filmmaker Maïwenn. The following feature films competed for the :
The following films were selected for the competition of Un Certain Regard:
The following films were selected to be screened out of competition:
The following films were shown as special screenings.
The following films were selected to be screened in the Cinéfondation section, which focuses on short films made by students at film schools.
The following short films competed for the Short Film Palme d'Or:
The following films were selected to be screened:
The Cinéma de la Plage is a part of the Official Selection of the festival:
The line-up for the Critics' Week section was announced on 18 April at the section's website. Declaration of War, directed by Valérie Donzelli, and Bachelor Days Are Over, directed by Katia Lewkowicz, were selected as the opening and closing films of the Semaine de la Critique section.
The following films were selected to be screened in the independent Directors' Fortnight section:
The was won by the American film The Tree of Life directed by Terrence Malick. Two of the film's producers, Bill Pohlad and Sarah Green, accepted the prize on behalf of the reclusive Malick. The Tree of Life is the first American film to win the since Fahrenheit 9/11 in 2004. Head of the jury, Robert De Niro, said it was difficult to choose a winner, but The Tree of Life "ultimately fit the bill". De Niro explained, "It had the size, the importance, the intention, whatever you want to call it, that seemed to fit the prize."
The following films and people received the 2011 Official selection awards: