The Cannes Film Festival will return from May 12 to 23, 2026 for its highly anticipated 79th edition. Between glamour, prestigious screenings, and international stars, the Croisette promises a new spectacular and intense fortnight. It is worth noting that season 4 of The White Lotus will be filmed alongside the Festival. This year, Park Chan-wook will preside over a prestigious jury responsible for awarding the Palme d’Or. As for Eye Haidara, she will be the mistress of ceremonies. Many confirmed directors, emerging talents, and Hollywood celebrities will also walk the red carpet.
A prestigious jury and highly anticipated films
The Cannes Film Festival 2026 first relies on a particularly prestigious jury. South Korean director Park Chan-wook will preside over the official competition. Already awarded at Cannes for “Old Boy” and “Decision to Leave”, he joins the very closed circle of Asian presidents of the festival. On his side, several international cinema personalities will participate in the deliberations, including Demi Moore, Chloé Zhao, Stellan Skarsgård, and Ruth Negga. As for Tahar Rahim, he will lead the jury of the “Un Certain Regard” section, while Monia Chokri will preside over the Caméra d’Or. Finally, actress Eye Haïdara will host the opening and closing ceremonies broadcast on France 2. “Awards must be given to works that will last 50 or 100 years,” declared Park Chan-wook to AFP.
As for the screenings, the official competition will bring together 22 films from around the world. Pedro Almodóvar will present “Autofiction”, while James Gray will defend “Paper Tiger”. Movie lovers will also find Hirokazu Kore-eda, Asghar Farhadi, and Rodrigo Sorogoyen. France will have several representatives with Arthur Harari, Jeanne Herry, and Léa Mysius. Out of competition, Guillaume Canet will unveil “Karma” with Marion Cotillard, while Antonin Baudry will present “La Bataille de Gaulle”. Furthermore, the “Cannes Première” section will welcome John Travolta for his directorial debut. This edition also highlights a more independent cinema, after the notable absence of major American studios. Thierry Frémaux also recalled that “independent cinema continues to exist” alongside Hollywood productions.
A shower of stars and a tense edition
Like every year, the Cannes red carpet will attract many international celebrities. Scarlett Johansson, Adam Driver, and Miles Teller will climb the steps for “Paper Tiger”. Isabelle Huppert, Pierre Niney, Vincent Cassel, and Golshifteh Farahani will also accompany Asghar Farhadi for the presentation of “Parallel Stories”. Catherine Deneuve will defend two feature films during the festival, as well as Léa Seydoux. Kristen Stewart, Woody Harrelson, Monica Bellucci, and Michael Fassbender are among the expected guests. Cate Blanchett and Tilda Swinton will participate in several highly attended masterclasses. Finally, the Croisette will also come alive with social events, notably with the amfAR gala organized at the Hôtel du Cap-Eden-Roc. This 79th edition also promises to be very political and engaged. The choice of the official poster inspired by “Thelma & Louise” has sparked criticism from the feminist collective 50/50. They denounce a “feminism washing”, as only five female directors are featured in the official competition. Thierry Frémaux responded that “there should not be a quota policy”, while emphasizing the progress made towards parity. Moreover, several cinema professionals have signed a letter against “the growing influence of the far right” in the audiovisual sector. Conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East are also expected to be discussed during the debates and screenings. As often happens in Cannes, cinema and current events will continue to interact.
