The Cannes Film Festival is one of the most prestigious and renowned film festivals in the world, and one of the most important events on the cinematic calendar. The annual French festival brings about the most respected names in the industry, and premieres movies of a high caliber.

From anticipated projects from auteurs to avant garde films, Cannes is known for playing films that are usually targeted towards adult and highly artistic audiences. However, the festival also has a history of premiering mainstream blockbusters, and a handful of those have been family films from the likes of Disney, DreamWorks and more.

10 ‘E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial’ (1982)

Henry Thomas and E.T in 'E.T the Extra-Terrestrial' (1982)

Steven Spielberg’s iconic family masterpiece E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial premiered out of competition at Cannes in 1982, and was the closing film of the festival that year. As a crowd pleaser for all ages and audiences, it blew even the most cultured moviegoers away.

Before it would go one to become the movie of the summer and make bank at the box office, the film received widespread acclaim and earned a massive standing ovation at its screening (this was before every film at Cannes got standing ovations, even the bad ones).

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9 ‘Kung Fu Panda’ (2008)

Po with the Furious Five from the 'Kung Fu Panda' series
Image Via DreamWorks

When the Cannes Film Festival comes to mind, one thinks of prestige, glamor and… Po the Panda? An animated comedy about a panda who becomes a kung fu master doesn’t exactly scream ‘Cannes’, but Kung Fu Panda did indeed premiere out of competition in 2008.

The film would go on to launch a hugely successful franchise, and received rave reviews out of Cannes. Its starry cast, which includes Jack Black and Angelina Jolie, certainly live up to the glitz of Cannes, with the stars coming out to attend the premiere event.

8 ‘Shrek’ (2001)

Shrek’  (1)

Before it became the pop culture phenomenon it is today, the original Shrek premiered at the Cannes Film Festival. However, it didn’t play out of competition like most family films. Shrek competed for the top prize of the Palm d’Or in 2001, and was the first animated film to do so since 1953’s Peter Pan.

The festival would be the first of the green ogre’s many successes, as it would later go on to become one of the most beloved films of all time. It was the first film to ever win the Oscar for Best Animated Feature, and launched a billion dollar franchise.

7 ‘Madagascar 3: Europe’s Most Wanted’ (2012)

Alex, Marty, Gloria, and Melman standing in a circus car in Madagascar 3:Europe's Most Wanted (2012)
Image via DreamWorks

As the title suggests, Madagascar: 3 Europe’s Most Wanted sees everyone’s favorite lion, zebra, hippo and giraffe travel with the circus around Europe. One of their stops is France, and with a chunk of the film set there, what better place to premiere the film than Cannes?

The third installment of DreamWorks’s franchise played out of competition at the festival in 2012. It’s hard to know exactly how the local audience would have reacted, given that the film’s main villain is a Terminator-like French animal control officer voiced by Frances McDormand.

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6 ‘Over the Hedge’ (2006)

The Animal Cast in Over the Hedge

Many films from DreamWorks Animation have played at Cannes over the years, including the predominantly forgotten family flick Over the Hedge. The film premiered out of competition at the 2006 festival, but didn’t create enough buzz to truly become a hit later on.

While Over the Hedge is a perfectly fine romp for kids, and features an impressive voice cast with everyone from Bruce Willis to Avril Lavigne, it lacks the storytelling strengths of other DreamWorks favorites that have played at Cannes. It fails to stand out among classics like Shrek or Kung Fu Panda.

5 ‘Inside Out’ (2015)

The five feelings from Inside Out gathering around a panel in Inside Out.
Image via Pixar

Pixar has debuted a number of their classics at the Cannes Film Festival, including their latest, Elemental. One of their most successful outings at the festival was the out of competition premiere of Inside Out in 2015, which later went on to win an Oscar.

The film, which is set inside the mind of a young girl and follows her personified emotions, earned rave reviews from the festival audience. It was Pixar’s first original film in three years, with a premise and execution that truly showcases their complexity and creativity as storytellers.

4 ‘Shrek 2’ (2004)

Puss in Boots holding the fairy Godmother's wand up and standing on the back of Donkey who has been turned into a white horse in Shrek 2

As one of the greatest animated sequels of all time, it only makes sense that Shrek 2 followed in the footsteps of its predecessor and also competed for the prestigious Palme d’Or in 2004. While it may not have won, it’s the only animated franchise to compete for such an award TWICE.

The success of the first film obviously helped the series return to Cannes, but Shrek 2 ended up being an even bigger hit. With higher stakes, new characters like Puss in Boots and Prince Charming, and epic musical numbers, it’s cinema at its peak.

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3 ‘Willow’ (1988)

young man in woods holding a baby, illuminated by light

While Ron Howard’s ‘80s fantasy flick Willow, starring Warwick Davis and Val Kilmer, didn’t technically have its premiere at the Cannes, the film did screen there as a special presentation and even closed the festival in 1988. It was released in U.S. theaters shortly after.

While the film, which was produced in collaboration with Lucasfilm, didn’t reach the popularity heights of Star Wars, it was still able to earn a cult following over the years, and even gained a sequel in the form of a Disney+ series which debuted in late 2022.

2 ‘The Little Prince’ (2015)

The-Little-Prince

Based on the classic tale, this co-production between France and the U.S. is a visually stunning and emotionally moving adaptation that played out of competition at Cannes in 2015. It was met with glowing reception, which helped push its success when it was released on Netflix.

The film features a stunning combination of computer generated and stop-motion animation, and a starry voice cast which includes Jeff Bridges, Rachel McAdams, Marion Cotillard and Paul Rudd. Given the original story’s French origins, it’s no surprise The Little Prince made its debut here.

1 ‘Up’ (2009)

Carl and Russell in UP

Pixar’s masterpiece Up played out of competition at Cannes, but it also marked many firsts for the festival. It was the first ever animated film to open the festival, the first 3D movie to screen there, and the first Pixar movie to ever play as part of the Official Selection.

Thanks to its wit, heart and moving opening sequence, Up became an instant hit, and was the second animated movie to be nominated for Best Picture at the Oscars. Its success at Cannes helped form the strong relationship between Pixar and the festival, as their films continue to debut there.

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