France Culture, Konbini and ACID, with the support of the Ministry for Higher Education and Research, are once again offering students the opportunity to view eight feature films, meet the directors, choose their two favorite films, and award them a prize. The two winners, in the fiction and documentary categories, will be honored at the Cannes Film Festival on Saturday, May 16, 2026.
Last year, around 2500 students from all over France participated and awarded the prize to “No Other Land” by Basel Adra and “This is not a goodbye” by Guillaume Brac. The selection of the eight films for the 2026 edition was equally rigorous. According to Lucile Commeaux, a journalist and critic who can be heard every morning on “Le Regard Culturel” on France Culture, and a member of the selection committee, this award is “in the realm of public service mission.”
The journalist notes that student jury members naturally gravitate towards social issues, engaged films, or characters they can relate to. The interaction with the directors is a particularly appreciated and rich stage, sometimes leading to surprising exchanges. Lucile Commeaux shares, “They ask very precise, very pragmatic questions,” finding it refreshing to see young people take such interest in films and their production.
Among these jury members, some of whom return year after year, there may even be future critics or filmmakers. The journalist is convinced that the students who participate in this jury are in a more active position towards films, stating, “I think they watch films more attentively than when they go to the cinema. This allows them to exercise their critical thinking on the most popular medium today: images. For them, it’s a golden opportunity to cut their teeth on a popular object.”
To become a member of the jury for this new edition, simply bring your student card and fill out the form before midnight on March 31, 2026. If selected, you will then get to watch the 8 selected films and meet the filmmakers. The hardest part will be choosing who deserves the prize!
Film Selection for 2026: – “The Unknown of the Grand Arch” by Stéphane Demoustier (Le Pacte) – “Indomitable” by Thomas Ngijol (Pan Distribution) – “The Engulfed” by Louise Hémon (Condor) – “At the Pedestal” by Valérie Donzelli (Diaphana)
Documentary Category: – “Sudan, Remember” by Hind Meddeb (Dulac) – supported by ACID – “Put your soul on your hand and walk” by Sepideh Farsi (New story) – supported by ACID – “Soundtrack to a Coup d’Etat” by Johan Grimonprez (Les Valseurs) – “She Doesn’t Hear the Motorcycle” by Dominique Fischbach (Epicentre)
