The 79th Cannes Film Festival commenced with a tribute to Peter Jackson, an honorary Palme d’Or award, and reflections on the intersection of cinema and global conflicts. Industry luminaries, including Park Chan-wook and Guillermo del Toro, emphasized the role of art in political discourse.
The 79th Cannes Film Festival kicked off on Tuesday, May 12, 2026, with a star-studded opening ceremony that marked the beginning of 12 days of premieres, screenings, and cinematic celebrations.
The French Riviera event commenced with a Franch tribute to Peter Jackson, the acclaimed director of the Lord of the Rings trilogy, who was awarded an honorary Palme d’Or. Jackson, accompanied by his longtime collaborator Elijah Wood, who played Frodo Baggins in the films, expressed humble gratitude during his acceptance speech. I’ve never figured out why I’m getting a Palme d’Or. I’m not a Palme d’Or sorta guy, remarked the shaggy-haired New Zealand filmmaker.
The ceremony included a poignant musical interlude, with a live performance of The Beatles’ classic Get Back, a song that resonated with Jackson, given his 2021 documentary about the legendary band. The director visibly mouthed the lyrics as he sat stage right, soaking in the moment. The event also saw Jane Fonda and Gong Li taking center stage to officially declare the festival open.
Both actresses, representing different generations and cultures, added a touch of glamour and gravitas to the proceedings. Gong Li and Jane Fonda appear during the opening ceremony of the 79th international film festival. But beyond the glitz and glamour, the Cannes Film Festival 2026 also saw discussions about the role of cinema in times of geopolitical conflict.
Paul Laverty, the Scottish screenwriter known for his collaborations with director Ken Loach, drew parallels between this year’s Cannes poster featuring Thelma And Louise and what the press described as the genocide in Gaza. Cannes has a wonderful poster, said Laverty. Isn’t it fascinating to see some of them like Susan Sarandon, Javier Bardem and Mark Ruffalo blacklisted because of their views in opposing the murder of women and children in Gaza? Shame on Hollywood people who do that.
The festival jury this year is chaired by Park Chan-wook, the South Korean maestro behind films like Oldboy and Decision to Leave. Park asserted that art and politics need not be seen as conflicting entities. Art and politics are not concepts that are in conflict with each other, he stated. One cannot disqualify a film on the pretext that it has a political message.
Just as one cannot reject a film because it would not be political enough. The jury panel includes Chloe Zhao, Stellan Skarsgård, Ruth Negga, and Demi Moore, who last year was celebrated at Cannes for her performance in The Substance. Cannes has often been a stage for individuals who have faced challenges in Hollywood. While Johnny Depp premiered Jeanne Du Barry in Cannes three years ago, this year saw James Franco making a surprise appearance at the festival opening.
The 48-year-old actor, who settled a lawsuit in 2021 regarding allegations of improper conduct at a film school he founded, has maintained a presence in independent cinema. Franco was joined by Izabel Pakzad at the opening ceremony as the film The Electric Kiss premiered to eager audiences. The festival also celebrated milestone moments in cinema history, with Guillermo del Toro returning to Cannes to screen a 4K restoration of his timeless fable Pan’s Labyrinth.
The 2006 film, set against the backdrop of fascist Spain in the 1940s, feels eerily timely according to del Toro. We are, unfortunately, in times that make this movie more pertinent than ever because they tell us everything is useless to resist, that art can be done with a f****** app, del Toro remarked in a post-screening Q&A. The Cannes Film Festival continues its legacy as a platform for bold, political, and art-house cinema, reaffirming its place as one of the most prestigious film events in the world
Cannes Film Festival Peter Jackson Honorary Palme D’Or Jane Fonda James Franco
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