The Cannes International Film Festival is an annual film festival held in Cannes, France, which previews new films of all genres, including documentaries, from around the world. Founded in 1946, it is one of the most prestigious and publicised film festivals in the world.The invitation-only festival is held annually (usually in May) at the Palais des Festivals et des Congrès.France also hosts its national film awards, the César Awards, which are generally considered to be the French equivalent of the American Academy Awards.