Cannes

American  

[kan, kanz, kan] / kæn, kænz, kan /

noun

1. a city in SE France, on the Mediterranean Sea: resort; annual film festival.

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Cannes British  

/ kan, kænz, kæn /

noun

1. a port and resort in SE France: developed in the 19th century from a fishing village; annual film festival. Pop: 67 304 (1999)

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Cannes Cultural  

1. Fashionable resort on the French Riviera.

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Usage

What is Cannes? Cannes is a popular short name for the Cannes Film Festival, one of the world’s most well-known and prestigious film festivals. It is held annually in the city of Cannes, France. Cannes is known for featuring a variety of international films ranging from high-budget feature films to independent short films. Some films hold their premiere at Cannes. The festival, held in the resort city of Cannes on the Mediterranean Sea, has become known as a glamorous event attended by many famous actors, directors, and other celebrities. How do you pronounce Cannes?Cannes is typically pronounced in English like can, but it can also be pronounced like cans.

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Cannes hosts an annual international film festival.

Example Sentences

And, more than ever, so are the movies playing at Cannes.

From Los Angeles Times • May 12, 2026

Considering its reputation as a showcase for auteurs, you may be surprised to learn that Hollywood has been a fixture at the Cannes Film Festival since its inception.

From Los Angeles Times • May 12, 2026

Richard Martini served as the film’s primary director, with fellow co-writer Susan Shapiro credited with helming the on-the-ground Cannes material.

From Los Angeles Times • May 12, 2026

High-profile pre-pandemic releases such as Steven Spielberg’s “The BFG” and Ron Howard’s “Solo: A Star Wars Story” also failed to win over the Cannes faithful.

From Los Angeles Times • May 12, 2026

I saw them one spring in Cannes and later in Deauville and then they came back to Chicago to settle down.

From " The Great Gatsby" by F. Scott Fitzgerald