The Cannes Film Festival returns from May 12 to 23, 2026 for a highly anticipated 79th edition. Between glamour, prestigious screenings and international stars, the Croisette promises a spectacular and intense new fortnight. Note that season 4 of The White Lotus will be filmed on the sidelines of the Festival. This year, Park Chan-wook will chair a prestigious jury responsible for awarding the Palme d’Or. As for Eye Haidara, she will be the mistress of ceremonies. Many established directors, emerging talents and Hollywood celebrities will also walk the red carpet.
A prestigious jury and highly anticipated films
The 2026 Cannes Film Festival is firstly relying on a particularly prestigious jury. South Korean director Park Chan-wook will chair the official competition. Already rewarded at Cannes for Old Boy and Decision to Leave, he joins the very closed circle of Asian presidents of the festival. Alongside him, several personalities from international cinema will participate in the deliberations, including Demi Moore, Chloé Zhao, Stellan Skarsgård and Ruth Negga. As for Tahar Rahim, he will head the jury of the “Un Certain Regard” section, while Monia Chokri will chair the Caméra d’or. Finally, actress Eye Haïdara will host the opening and closing ceremonies broadcast on France 2. “The awards must be awarded to works that will last 50 or 100 years,” Park Chan-wook told AFP.
As for screenings, the official competition will bring together 22 films from all over the world. Pedro Almodóvar will present Autofiction, while James Gray will defend Paper Tiger. Film buffs 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 Premiere” section will welcome John Travolta for his first film as director. This edition also highlights a more independent cinema, after the notable absence of the major American studios. Thierry Frémaux also recalled that “independent cinema continues to exist” beyond Hollywood productions.
A shower of stars and a lively edition
Like every year, the Cannes red carpet will attract many international celebrities. Scarlett Johansson, Adam Driver and Miles Teller will take 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 present two feature films during the festival, as will Léa Seydoux. Kristen Stewart, Woody Harrelson, Monica Bellucci and Michael Fassbender are also among the expected guests. Cate Blanchett and Tilda Swinton will participate in several well-attended masterclasses. Finally, the Croisette will also vibrate to the rhythm of social evenings, 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 and Louise sparked criticism from the feminist collective 50/50. This denounces a “washing feminism”, while only five directors appear in official competition. Thierry Frémaux responded that “there should not be a quota policy”, while recalling the progress made towards parity. Furthermore, several cinema professionals signed a platform against “the growing influence of the extreme right” in the audiovisual sector. The conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East should also feature in the debates and screenings. As is often the case in Cannes, cinema and current events will therefore continue to respond to each other.
