Ed Decter produced the film Fargo.
Fargo is a 1996 American black comedy crime thriller film written , produced , edited , and directed by Joel and Ethan Coen .. Ethan Coen. Coen brothers. black comedy. black comedy. crime thriller. crime thriller. Joel and Ethan Coen. Coen brothers. Frances McDormand stars as a pregnant Minnesota police chief investigating roadside homicides that ensue after a desperate car salesman -LRB- William H. Macy -RRB- hires two criminals -LRB- Steve Buscemi and Peter Stormare -RRB- to kidnap his wife in order to extort a hefty ransom from his wealthy father-in-law -LRB- Harve Presnell -RRB- .. Frances McDormand. Frances McDormand. William H. Macy. William H. Macy. Steve Buscemi. Steve Buscemi. Harve Presnell. Harve Presnell. Peter Stormare. Peter Stormare. police chief. chief of police. Fargo premiered at the 1996 Cannes Film Festival , where Joel Coen won the festival 's Prix de la mise en scene -LRB- Best Director Award -RRB- and the film was nominated for the Palme d'Or .. Joel Coen. Coen brothers. 1996 Cannes Film Festival. 1996 Cannes Film Festival. Prix de la mise en scene. Best Director Award ( Cannes Film Festival ). Palme d'Or. Palme d'Or. A critical and commercial success , Fargo received seven Academy Award nominations , including Best Picture .. Academy Award. 69th Academy Awards. Best Picture. Academy Award for Best Picture. McDormand received the Best Actress Oscar , and the Coens won in the Best Original Screenplay category .. Best Actress. Academy Award for Best Actress. Best Original Screenplay. Academy Award for Best Writing ( Original Screenplay ). The film was selected in 2006 for preservation in the United States National Film Registry by the Library of Congress as `` culturally , historically , or aesthetically significant '' -- one of only six films so designated in its first year of eligibility .. National Film Registry. National Film Registry. Library of Congress. Library of Congress. The American Film Institute named it one of the 100 greatest American movies of all time in 1998 .. American Film Institute. American Film Institute. 100 greatest American movies of all time. AFI's 100 Years...100 Movies. A Coen-produced FX television series of the same name , inspired by Fargo and taking place in the same universe , started in 2014 and was critically acclaimed .. FX ( TV channel ). television series of the same name. Fargo ( TV series )