The 79th annual Cannes Film Festival took place from 12 to 23 May 2026. South Korean filmmaker Park Chan-wook served as jury president for the main competition. Romanian filmmaker Cristian Mungiu won the Palme d'Or for a second time with the drama film Fjord.
Hartland Villa designed the official poster for the festival featuring actresses Geena Davis and Susan Sarandon on the set of Thelma & Louise (1991) by Ridley Scott, the closing film of the 44th edition. French actress Eye Haïdara served as host for the opening and closing ceremonies.
During the festival, three Honorary Palmes d'Or were awarded: the first was to Peter Jackson during the festival's opening ceremony, the second was awarded on short notice to John Travolta before the world premiere of Propeller One-Way Night Coach, the third was awarded to Barbra Streisand during the closing ceremony.
The festival opened with the French period-comedy film The Electric Kiss by Pierre Salvadori.
Juries
Main Competition Park Chan-wook, South Korean filmmaker — Jury President Diego Céspedes, Chilean filmmaker Isaach de Bankolé, Ivorian actor Paul Laverty, Irish-Scottish screenwriter Demi Moore, American actress Ruth Negga, Irish-Ethiopian actress Stellan Skarsgård, Swedish actor Laura Wandel, Belgian filmmaker Chloé Zhao, Chinese filmmaker
Un Certain Regard Leïla Bekhti, French actress — Jury President Angèle Diabang Brener, Senegalese producer and filmmaker Khaled Mouzanar, Lebanese composer and producer Laura Samani, Italian filmmaker Thomas Cailley, French filmmaker
Cinéfondation and Short Films Competition Carla Simón, Spanish filmmaker — Jury President Park Ji-min, French actress and visual artist Ali Asgari, Iranian filmmaker and producer Salim Kechiouche, French actor Magnus von Horn, Swedish filmmaker
Caméra d'Or Monia Chokri, Canadian actress and filmmaker — Jury President Michel Benjamin, French cinematographer Cédric Coppola, French film critic Marine Francen, French filmmaker Christophe Massie, French Deputy CEO of Eclair Preservation by Netgem Group
Immersive Competition Blanca Li, Spanish dancer, actress and immersive director — Jury President Céline Tricart, French immersive director and producer Michel van der Aa, Dutch composer and multimedia artist Mary Matheson, British immersive director and producer Hsin-Chien Huang, Taiwanese artist and immersive director
L'Œil d'Or Mstyslav Chernov, Ukrainian photojournalist and filmmaker — Jury President Tabitha Jackson, English director of the Film Forum NYC Géraldine Pailhas, French actress Lina Soualem, Franco-Palestine filmmaker and actress Victor Castanet, French journalist
Critics' Week Payal Kapadia, Indian filmmaker — Jury President Ama Ampadu, Ghanaian-British producer Donsaron Kovitvanitcha, Thai film critic, journalist and director of the Bangkok International Film Festival Oklou, French singer Théodore Pellerin, Canadian actor
Queer Palm Anna Mouglalis, French actress and musician — Jury Co-president Thomas Jolly, French actor, artistic director and stage director — Jury Co-president Raya Martigny, Réunion multidisciplinary artist and actress Jehnny Beth, French actress and singer André Fischer, Brazilian founder and director of the MixBrasil Festival
Official Selection The Official Selection for the 79th edition was announced on 9 April 2026, by the festival's President Iris Knobloch and General Delegate/Artistic Director Thierry Frémaux at a press conference held at the Pathé Palace in Paris. Frémaux noted that 2,541 feature films were submitted for consideration, with the initial main competition lineup featuring 21 films from three continents and five female directors. Pedro Almodóvar's Bitter Christmas is the only selected film that had its world premiere before the festival. At the press conference after the announcement, Frémaux stated that he hoped to add James Gray's Paper Tiger to the lineup at a later stage; the film's premiere at the festival was confirmed later that month.
In Competition The following films were selected to compete for the Palme d'Or:
English Title Original Title Director(s) Production CountryAll of a Sudden / Ryusuke HamaguchiFrance, Japan, Germany, BelgiumAnother Day (QP)Jeanne HerryFranceThe BelovedRodrigo SorogoyenSpain, FranceThe Birthday PartyLéa MysiusFranceBitter Christmas (QP)Pedro AlmodóvarSpain La bola negra (QP)Javier Calvo and Javier AmbrossiSpain, FranceCoward (QP)Lukas DhontBelgium, France, NetherlandsThe Dreamed AdventureValeska GrisebachGermany, France, Austria, BulgariaFatherlandPaweł PawlikowskiPoland, France, Italy, GermanyFjordCristian MungiuRomania, Norway, Denmark, Finland, France, SwedenGentle MonsterMarie KreutzerAustria, France, GermanyHopeNa Hong-jinSouth KoreaThe Man I Love (QP)Ira SachsUnited States, FranceA Man of His TimeEmmanuel MarreBelgium, FranceMinotaurAndrey ZvyagintsevFrance, Latvia, Germany MoulinLászló NemesFranceNagi Notes (QP)Koji FukadaJapan, Singapore, Philippines, Thailand, France Paper TigerJames GrayUnited States, BrazilParallel TalesAsghar FarhadiFrance, United States, Italy, BelgiumSheep in the BoxHirokazu Kore-edaJapanThe UnknownArthur HarariFrance, ItalyA Woman's Life (QP)Charline Bourgeois-TacquetFrance, Belgium (QP) indicates film in competition for the Queer Palm.
Out of Competition The following films were selected to be screened out of competition:
English Title Original Title Director(s) Production CountryCrescendoAgnès Jaoui France, BelgiumDe Gaulle: RésistanceAntonin BaudryDiamondAndy GarciaUnited StatesForsakenVincent GarenqFranceHer Private HellNicolas Winding RefnDenmark, United StatesThe Electric Kiss (opening film)Pierre SalvadoriFrance, BelgiumKarmaGuillaume CanetFranceMidnight ScreeningsColonyYeon Sang-hoSouth KoreaThe Fast and the Furious (2001)Rob CohenUnited StatesFull PhilQuentin Dupieux FranceJim Queen (CdO) (QP)Nicolas Athané and Marco NguyenFrance, BelgiumRoma Elastica (QP)Bertrand MandicoFrance, ItalySpecies (CdO)SanguineMarion Le CorollerFrance (CdO) indicates film eligible for the Caméra d'Or as a feature directorial debut. (QP) indicates film in competition for the Queer Palm.
Un Certain Regard Jane Schoenbrun's slasher film Teenage Sex and Death at Camp Miasma was the section's opening film on 13 May. Laetitia Masson's comedy-drama film Ulysse was the section's closing film. The following films were selected to compete in the Un Certain Regard section:
English Title Original Title Director(s) Production CountryAll the Lovers in the NightJapan, FranceBen'Imana (CdO)Marie Clémentine DusabejamboRwanda, Gabon, France, Norway, Ivory CoastClub Kid (CdO) (QP)Jordan FirstmanUnited StatesCongo BoyRafiki FarialaCentral African Republic, France, Democratic Republic of the Congo, ItalyElephants in the Fog (CdO) (QP) Abinash Bikram ShahNepal, France, Germany, Brazil, NorwayEverytimeSandra WollnerAustria, GermanyForever Your Maternal AnimalValentina MaurelCosta Rica, Belgium, France, MexicoA Girl's StoryJudith GodrècheFranceI'll Be Gone in June (CdO)Katharina RivilisGermany, Switzerland, United StatesIron BoyLouis ClichyFrance, BelgiumThe MeltdownManuela MartelliChile, United States, Spain, MexicoStrawberriesLaïla MarrakchiFrance, Morocco, Spain, BelgiumTeenage Sex and Death at Camp Miasma (opening film) (QP)Jane SchoenbrunUnited StatesTitanic Ocean (CdO)Greece, Germany, Romania, France, SpainUlya Viestur KairishLatvia, Poland, Estonia, LithuaniaVictorian PsychoZachary WigonUnited Kingdom, IrelandFranceYesterday the Eye Didn't Sleep (CdO) Rakan MayasiBelgium, Lebanon, Palestine, Qatar, Saudi ArabiaOut of Competition (closing film)Laetitia MassonFrance (CdO) indicates film eligible for the Caméra d'Or as a feature directorial debut. (QP) indicates film in competition for the Queer Palm.
Cannes Premiere The following films were selected to be screened in the Cannes Premiere section:
English Title Original Title Director(s) Production CountryTiago GuedesPortugal, FranceThe End of It (CdO)Maria Martínez BayonaUnited Kingdom, Norway, SpainThe Samurai and the PrisonerKiyoshi KurosawaJapanMary Magdalene (QP)Gessica GénéusHaiti, France, Belgium, Luxembourg, CanadaThe Match (ŒdO)Juan Cabral and Santiago FrancoArgentinaOrange-Flavoured WeddingChristophe HonoréFrancePropeller One-Way Night Coach John Travolta United StatesThink GoodGéraldine NakacheFrance, BelgiumWhen the Night FallsDaniel AuteuilFranceVolker SchlöndorffGermany (CdO) indicates film eligible for the Caméra d'Or as a feature directorial debut. (ŒdO) indicates film eligible for the L'Œil d'or as documentary. (QP) indicates film in competition for the Queer Palm.
Special Screenings The following films were selected to be screened in the Special Screenings section:
English Title Original Title Director(s) Production CountryAshesDiego LunaMexico, Spain Avedon (ŒdO) Ron Howard United StatesCantona (ŒdO)David Tryhorn and Ben NicholasUnited KingdomChe Guevara: The Last Companions (ŒdO)Christophe RéveilleFranceGolden Triangle (CdO)Hélène Rosselet-RuizFrance, Belgium, CanadaGroundswell (ŒdO)Josh Tickell and Rebecca Harrell TickellUnited States, Colombia, Kenya, India, BrazilJohn Lennon: The Last Interview (ŒdO)Steven SoderberghUnited StatesMarvelous Mornings (CdO) (QP)Avril BessonFranceMolière, Cyrano and the Young KingMichel LeclercRehearsals for a Revolution (ŒdO)Pegah AhangaraniIran, Czech Republic, SpainSpring (CdO)Rostislav KirpičenkoLithuania, Ukraine, FranceTangles (CdO) (QP)Leah NelsonCanada, United StatesWomen on TrialLauriane Escaffre and Yvo MullerFranceFamily ScreeningLucy Lost (CdO)Olivier ClertFrance (CdO) indicates film eligible for the Caméra d'Or as a feature directorial debut. (ŒdO) indicates film eligible for the L'Œil d'or as documentary. (QP) indicates film in competition for the Queer Palm.
Short Films Competition Selected from 3,184 productions, the following 10 short films were selected to compete for the Short Film Palme d'Or:
English Title Original Title Director(s) Production CountryA Few Things Happening by a RiverDaniel SoaresPortugal, FranceThe Dream Is a SnailNguyễn Thiên ÂnVietnam, South Korea, Australia The End Niki Lindroth von BahrSweden, France, DenmarkFor the OpponentsFederico LuisMexico, Chile, France Fresh CutHadrien BelsFranceThe Last SpringMathilde BédouetNobody Said AnythingTamara TodorovićSerbia, France, Slovenia, Croatia Sisters' Swim Lola DegoveFrance, Belgium Michał ToczekPolandThunder PlatoonTheo MontoyaColombia, France
Cinéfondation For its 29th edition Cinéfondation (or La Cinéf) has selected 14 live-action and 5 animated shorts from among the 2,750 films sent by film schools all over the world. Directed by 12 women and 9 men, they represent fifteen countries and four continents. Two of the schools are invited for the first time: Hongik University (South Korea) and ISAMM (Tunisia). The festival allocates a €15,000 grant for the winner of the First Prize, €11,250 for the winner of the Second Prize and €7,500 for the winner of the Third Prize. The following films were selected for the La Cinéf competition: