September 20, 1946 –
The first Cannes film festival, the first great international cultural event of the post-war period, begins on this date. Among the selections that year were:
Brief Encounter directed by David Lean
Wet Paint directed by Jack King, produced by Walt Disney
The Bandit (Il bandito) directed by Alberto Lattuada
The Magic Bow directed by Bernard Knowles
La symphonie pastorale directed by Jean Delannoy
The festival was France’s response to the world’s first international film festival in Venice, Italy, in 1932. By 1938, the Venice festival had become a Nazi propaganda tool, and France decided to hold a rival event focused strictly on film. Its planned 1939 debut was delayed when World War II broke out.
The Haus of Dcaligari 