"Le Havre" premiered on 17 May 2011 in competition at the 64th Cannes Film Festival. It was the fourth time a film by Kaurismäki competed at the festival, after "Drifting Clouds", "The Man Without a Past" and "Lights in the Dusk". The Finnish premiere was on 9 September 2011 through Future Film Distribution. Pyramide Distribution released it in France on 21 December of the same year. Janus Films acquired the American distribution rights.