From May 12 to 23, the 2026 Cannes Film Festival returns to the Croisette. Its president Iris Knobloch summed up the moment by declaring: “” and recalling that “”, quoted by Vogue France.
More than 2,541 feature films from 141 countries were submitted to the Selection: Thierry Frémaux and his team kept around a hundred, and already twenty titles are attracting the curiosity of film buffs for this 79th edition.
The most anticipated films in competition
In the Official Competition, Pierre Salvadori will open the ball, alongside Asghar Farhadi, James Gray, Pedro Almodóvar, Arthur Harari, Jeanne Herry, Lukas Dhont and Léa Mysius, all in the running for the Palme d’Or.
Around , Lilith Grasmug promises a hybrid film: “”, she confides to Vogue France. For , a drama about addiction by Jeanne Herry, Adèle Exarchopoulos announced: “”
Un Certain Regard, Out of Competition and Cannes Premiere
At Un Certain Regard, three works already stand out: the metaphysical slasher by Jane Schoenbrun, the New Yorker by Jordan Firstman and the adaptation by Judith Godrèche. The text by Annie Ernaux irrigates the latter, which the filmmaker transposes to the screen, while Bertrand Mandico and Quentin Dupieux promise a very free genre cinema.
On the Out of Competition and Cannes Première side, Guillaume Canet’s psychological thriller with Marion Cotillard, Géraldine Nakache’s marital drama, Christophe Honoré’s family chronicle and Nicolas Winding Refn’s spy film are among the most closely watched events.
Special screenings and major documentaries
In a Special Screening, Avril Besson unveils her first feature film, a luminous road movie with India Hair and Raya Martigny, which extends the queer and feminine energy of a selection marked by stories of mourning and reconstruction.
Steven Soderbergh’s musical documentary looks back on the last interview with John Lennon and Yoko Ono, opposite Ron Howard, devoted to fashion photographer Richard Avedon. Regarding the interview with Lennon, Soderbergh explains that he wanted “”, according to comments cited by Vogue France.
When does the 2026 Cannes Film Festival take place?
The 2026 Cannes Film Festival takes place from May 12 to 23, 2026.
How many feature films have been submitted to Cannes 2026?
More than 2,541 feature films from 141 countries were submitted to the 2026 Official Selection.
Which French films are most anticipated at Cannes 2026?
Among the expected French films are , , , and .
