The 32nd Cannes Film Festival took place from 10 to 24 May 1979.

[3] French writer Françoise Sagan served as jury president for the main competition.

The Palme d'Or, the festival's top prize, was jointly awarded to Apocalypse Now by Francis Ford Coppola (screened as a work in progress), and The Tin Drum by Volker Schlöndorff.

[4] Sagan, raised a controversy as she complained about Robert Favre Le Bret, director of the festival, pressure on the jury for the choice of Coppola's film, while she had chosen Schlöndorff's film.

[5] The festival opened with Hair by Miloš Forman,[6][7] and closed with Us Two by Claude Lelouch.