Best Director — Every Winner and Nominee
Every film recognised in the Cannes Best Director category in CineRoll's records: 56 films across 51 years, 56 of them winners.
The most recent winner is Fatherland (2026); the earliest on record is Forest of the Hanged (1965).
The last three winners were Fatherland (2026), La Bola Negra (2026) and The Secret Agent (2025).
The list is newest first. Each year shows the winner at the top, then the other nominees; a year with enough nominees links to its own page.
Last updated
2026
Winner
Winner
2025
Winner
2024
Grand Tour(2024)Winner
2023
The Taste of Things(2023)Winner
2022
Decision to Leave(2022)Winner
2019
Young Ahmed(2019)Winner
2018
Cold War(2018)Winner
2017
The Beguiled(2017)Winner
2016
Graduation(2016)Winner
Personal Shopper(2016)Winner
2015
The Assassin(2015)Winner
2014
Foxcatcher(2014)Winner
2013
Heli(2013)Winner
2012
Post Tenebras Lux(2012)Winner
2011
Drive(2011)Winner
2010
On Tour(2010)Winner
2009
Winner
2008
Three Monkeys(2008)Winner
2007
Winner
2006
Babel(2006)Winner
2005
Caché(2005)Winner
2004
Exiles(2004)Winner
2003
Elephant(2003)Winner
2002
Chihwaseon(2002)Winner
Punch-Drunk Love(2002)Winner
2001
Mulholland Drive(2001)Winner
The Man Who Wasn't There(2001)Winner
2000
Yi Yi(2000)Winner
1999
All About My Mother(1999)Winner
1998
The General(1998)Winner
1997
Happy Together(1997)Winner
1996
Fargo(1996)Winner
1995
La Haine(1995)Winner
1994
Dear Diary(1996)Winner
1993
Naked(1993)Winner
1992
The Player(1992)Winner
1991
Barton Fink(1991)Winner
1990
Taxi Blues(1990)Winner
1989
Time of the Gypsies(1988)Winner
1988
Winner
1987
Wings of Desire(1987)Winner
1986
After Hours(1985)Winner
1985
Rendez-vous(1985)Winner
1984
A Sunday in the Country(1984)Winner
1982
Fitzcarraldo(1982)Winner
1979
Days of Heaven(1978)Winner
1978
Empire of Passion(1978)Winner
1976
Ugly, Dirty and Bad(1976)Winner
1975
Winner
Special Section(1975)Winner
1972
Red Psalm(1972)Winner
1970
Leo the Last(1970)Winner
1967
Winner
1966
Lenin in Poland(1966)Winner
1965
Winner