Cannes 2026: A 79th Edition Shaped by Auteurs, Newcomers and a Korean Jury President

From May 12 to 23, 2026, the Croisette returns to its annual rhythm of screenings, press conferences and red-carpet processions, with South Korean filmmaker Park Chan-wook presiding over the main competition jury. The 79th edition of the Festival de Cannes opens at the Palais des Festivals with Pierre Salvadori's period comedy La Vénus électrique, and unfolds across a programme drawn from 2,541 submitted feature films.

Eye Haïdara takes on the role of opening ceremony mistress of ceremonies, following Camille Cottin, Virginie Efira and Chiara Mastroianni in recent editions.

The Main Competition

Festival delegate general Thierry Frémaux unveiled the official selection during the press conference held in Paris on April 9, 2026. The main competition gathers 21 titles from three continents, five of them directed by women. Sixteen additional films were added in the following weeks, among them James Gray's Paper Tiger, starring Scarlett Johansson.

French Auteurs in Force

The French contingent reflects a generation of filmmakers operating between popular cinema and arthouse. Guillaume Canet presents Karma with Marion Cotillard and Denis Ménochet. Arthur Harari returns with L'inconnue, pairing Léa Seydoux and Niels Schneider. Géraldine Nakache contributes Si tu penses bien, also featuring Schneider alongside Monia Chokri. Judith Godrèche presents Mémoire de fille, with Tess Barthélemy and Valérie Dréville, a screening that resonates with her recent advocacy work.

International Voices

Asghar Farhadi assembles Isabelle Huppert, Virginie Efira, Vincent Cassel and Pierre Niney in Histoires parallèles. Japanese director Ryusuke Hamaguchi presents Soudain, again with Virginie Efira. John Travolta brings Propeller One Way Night Coach, co-starring Kelly B. Eviston, Olga Hoffmann, Clark Shotwell and Ella Bleu Travolta.

Lynne Ramsay's Die My Love, with Jennifer Lawrence, addresses post-partum experience. In a recent interview with Vogue France, Ramsay described her intent:

I wanted to write a tragic love story, but also a very funny one.

Honorary Palmes and the Women in Motion Award

This edition presents honorary Palmes d'Or to Peter Jackson and Barbra Streisand, recognising two distinct trajectories in international cinema. Julianne Moore receives the Women in Motion award, a Kering-supported recognition that has previously gone to figures including Jane Fonda and Viola Davis.

Parallel Sections

Un Certain Regard

Un Certain Regard opens with Jane Schoenbrun's Teenage Sex and Death at Camp Miasma and closes with Laetitia Masson's Ulysse. The section's selector Cahen framed the lineup around emerging filmmakers whose visions offer hope amidst a society in flux. A new initiative, Next Step Studio, pairs eight emerging directors to produce four short films focused on Indonesia.

Directors' Fortnight

The Quinzaine des Cinéastes opens with Kantemir Balagov's Butterfly Jam and closes with Quentin Dupieux's Vertiginous. The full lineup was announced on April 14, 2026, with Bruno Dumont scheduled for a special screening and masterclass on April 23.

Immersive Competition

The Immersive Competition runs at the Carlton Hotel from May 12 to 22, presenting nine works from eight countries. The section, established in recent editions, considers VR, mixed-media and interactive narrative formats as part of the festival's official recognition.

Beyond the Screenings

The festival's social calendar continues to operate alongside the official programme. The amfAR gala, held during the festival in Cap d'Antibes, features performances by Zara Larsson, PinkPantheress and Robbie Williams. The event remains one of the principal fundraising occasions tied to the Cannes calendar, drawing actors, designers and patrons in equal measure.

The Croisette itself absorbs the rhythm of the twelve-day event: morning press screenings at the Grand Théâtre Lumière, which seats roughly 2,000, give way to afternoon market activity at the Marché du Film and evening galas. Annual attendance averages around 40,000 industry professionals, according to figures published by the festival.

A Festival Reading the Present

The 2026 selection reflects several converging currents: the continued presence of established auteurs alongside debut features, a measurable increase in women directing in competition, and the integration of immersive formats into the official structure. Godrèche's screening, the prominence of French female directors in the Palme d'Or race, and Ramsay's exploration of post-partum experience point to a programme attentive to the conversations shaping contemporary cinema.

As the lights dim on May 12, the Palais will once again become the room where the year's cinematic consensus begins to form. Whether the Palme d'Or travels to Seoul, Tehran, Tokyo or Paris, the next twelve days will record what the medium considers worth defending, debating and remembering.

Q: When is the Cannes Film Festival 2026?
A: The 79th edition of the Festival de Cannes runs from May 12 to 23, 2026, at the Palais des Festivals on the Croisette.
Q: Who is the jury president of Cannes 2026?
A: South Korean filmmaker Park Chan-wook presides over the main competition jury for the 79th Cannes Film Festival.
Q: What is the opening film of Cannes 2026?
A: The festival opens with Pierre Salvadori's period comedy La Vénus électrique, with Eye Haïdara serving as opening ceremony mistress of ceremonies.
Q: Who receives honorary Palmes d'Or at Cannes 2026?
A: Peter Jackson and Barbra Streisand receive honorary Palmes d'Or, while Julianne Moore is awarded the Kering-supported Women in Motion prize.
Q: How many films are in the Cannes 2026 main competition?
A: The main competition gathers 21 titles from three continents, five directed by women, selected from 2,541 submitted feature films.