Has Cannes lost its way?

The Cannes Film Festival has been receiving its usual blanket coverage in the French media - but outside France Europe's most presitigious film festival hasn't received quite as much veneration.

Cannes is pretty uninspiring this year according to many critics - busy trying to please Hollywood at the expense of the European film industry.

In our Europewide debate this week, Janet Barrie asks, has Cannes lost its way? Can a Palme d'Or compete with an Oscar?

She brought together Antonio Hens, an independent Spanish film-maker in Madrid - and first, in Cannes itself, the film critic Ian Nathan of Empire magazine.

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Your reaction

One need only look at world cinema in comparison to the US media companies output to see the difference. The vast majority of well acted, entertaining films are not from the US but almost everywhere else. French, Italian, Spanish and even British films are generally superb in comparison to their American counterparts. I would like to see these countries getting far more airtime at cinemas and on the TV rather than perpetually showing American shows that are weak in plot and even weaker in content.
Tom, England

Perhaps Cannes really has lost its importance outside of France or could it be that the Minitel system in France still has greater penetration than the internet?

John Nevitt, UK

Since posting my original message I am amazed at the lack of debate. Perhaps Cannes really has lost its importance outside of France or could it be that the Minitel system in France still has greater penetration than the internet?
John Nevitt, UK

An Oscar has never been even close to a Palme d'Or. Palme d'Or is about film, Oscars are about money.
AN, UK

An Oscar has never been even close to a Palme d'Or. Palme d'Or is about film, Oscars are about money.

AN, UK

No Palme d'Or or the BAFTA come to think of it - will ever have the cachet of an Oscar. The sheer dominance of Hollywood and the English language coupled with multi million dollar budgets will prevail. But Cannes is a special annual event where many rare gems get their first screening and where many in the industry use the opportunity for valuable networking. It needs to be preserved with a higher profile. It has become too conservative and perhaps needs some of the controversy of earlier years. It also needs more European content. Maybe the new British Film Council can up with the goods for future festivals.
John Nevitt, UK

Cannes is a festival of world cinéma and not of American entertainment.
Paul Debier, Switzerland