1981 Cannes Film Festival
The 34th Cannes Film Festival was held from 13 to 27 May 1981. French filmmaker Jacques Deray served as jury president for the main competition.
Polish filmmaker Andrzej Wajda won the Palme d'Or, the festival's top prize, for the film Man of Iron.
The festival opened with Three Brothers by Francesco Rosi, and closed with Honeysuckle Rose by Jerry Schatzberg.
Juries
- Jacques Deray, French filmmaker - Jury President
- Ellen Burstyn, American actress
- Jean-Claude Carrière, French author
- Robert Chazal, French film critic
- Attilio d'Onofrio, Italian
- Christian Defaye, Swiss journalist
- Carlos Diegues, Brazilian filmmaker
- Antonio Gala, Spanish author
- Andrei Petrov, Soviet composer
- Douglas Slocombe, British cinematographer
Official selection
In Competition
The following feature films competed for the Palme d'Or:''Un Certain Regard''
The following films were selected for the Un Certain Regard section:Out of Competition
The following films were selected to be screened out of competition:Short Films Competition
The following short films competed for the Short Film Palme d'Or:- Alephah by Gérald Frydman
- André Derain, thèmes et variations by François Porcile
- Dilemma by John Halas
- Diskzokej by Jiří Barta
- Král a skritek by Lubomír Beneš
- Manövergäste by G. Nicolas Hayek
- Maskirani razbojnik by Petar Lalovic
- Moto Perpetuo by Béla Vajda
- Ne me parlez plus jamais d'amour by Sylvain Madigan
- Le Rat by Elisabeth Huppert
- Ravnovesie by Boiko Kanev
- Trcanje by Dusko Sevo
- Zea by André Leduc
Parallel sections
International Critics' Week
The following feature films were screened for the 20th International Critics' Week :- She Dances Alone by Robert Dornhelm
- The Moth by Tomasz Zygadlo
- Fil, fond, fosfor by Philippe Nahoun
- Kill Hitler by Villi Hermann, Niklaus Meienberg, Hans Stürm
- by Jeanine Meerapfel
- Fertile Memory by Michel Khleifi
- Le Chapeau malheureux by Maria Sos
Directors' Fortnight
The following films were screened for the 1981 Directors' Fortnight :- Albert Pinto Ko Gussa Kyoon Aata Hai by Saeed Akhtar Mirza
- Alligator Shoes by Clay Borris
- Americana by David Carradine
- Act of Violence by Eduardo Escorel
- Beddegama by Lester James Peries
- Bolivar, Sinfonia Tropical by Diego Rísquez
- Bona by Lino Brocka
- Chakra, Vicious Circle by Rabindra Dharmaraj
- Conversa Acabada by João Botelho
- Desperado City by Vadim Glowna
- No Mercy, No Future by Helma Sanders-Brahms
- Francisca by Manoel De Oliveira
- The Vulture by Yaky Yosha
- The Mark of the Beast by Pieter Verhoeff
- In Defense of People by Rafigh Pooya
- Fruits of Passion by Shuji Terayama
- The Plouffe Family by Gilles Carle
- Memorias Do Medo by Alberto Graça
- Narcissus and Psyche by Gábor Bódy
- Seuls by Francis Reusser
- Tell Me A Riddle by Lee Grant
- Wizja lokalna 1901 by Filip BajonEvolution by Sheila GraberFace To Face by Sheila GraberLe Miroir Vivant by Eunice Hutchins, Norbert BarnichMichelangelo by Sheila GraberMusic For Film by Jean-Claude WoutersPour Trois Minutes De Gloire by Jean-Claude BronckartT.V.O. by Carlos CastilloThe Electric Disco Chicken by Bob GoodnessTous Les Garcons by Yves LabergeTre Per Eccesso by Giampierro VinciguerraUno Para Todos, Todos Para Todos by Carlos Castillo
Official Awards
In Competition
- Palme d'Or: Man of Iron by Andrzej Wajda
- Grand Prix: Light Years Away by Alain Tanner
- Best Screenplay: István Szabó for Mephisto
- Best Actress: Isabelle Adjani for Quartet and Possession
- Best Actor: Ugo Tognazzi for Tragedy of a Ridiculous Man
- Best Supporting Actress: Yelena Solovey for Faktas
- Best Supporting Actor: Ian Holm for Chariots of Fire
- Best Artistic Contribution: Excalibur by John Boorman
''[Caméra d'Or]''
[Short Film Palme d'Or]
- Moto Perpetuo by Béla Vajda
- Jury Prize:
- *Le Rat by Elisabeth Huppert
- *Zea by André Leduc
Independent Awards
FIPRESCI Prizes">FIPRESCI">FIPRESCI Prizes
''Commission Supérieure Technique''
[Prize of the Ecumenical Jury]
Man of Iron by Andrzej Wajda- * Special Mention:
- ** Chariots of Fire by Hugh Hudson
- ** Looks and Smiles by Ken Loach