Cannes festival begins as stars and jury arrive on the Riviera

Updated / Tuesday, 19 May 2026 12:57

Jury Member Ruth Negga poses during the Jury photocall at the 79th annual Cannes Film Festival at Palais des Festivals on 12 May, 2026 in Cannes, France. (Photo by Lionel Hahn/Getty Images) — Ruth Negga is a member of the main competition jury at the 2026 Cannes Film Festival

The Cannes Film Festival opens today with a fortnight of world premieres, red carpets, major auteur names and starry appearances on the French Riviera.

The 79th edition of the festival runs from 12 to 23 May. In its main competition, a total of 22 films are vying for the prestigious Palme d'Or prize for Best Film, which was won last year by the highly political Iranian film It Was Just an Accident by Jafar Panahi.

Irish-Ethiopian actress Ruth Negga is among this year's main competition jury, which is headed by South Korean filmmaker Park Chan-wook. Demi Moore, Chloé Zhao, Stellan Skarsgård, Laura Wandel, Diego Céspedes, Isaach De Bankolé and Paul Laverty are also on the jury.

movie star in Cannes — Stellan Skarsgård is another member of the main competition jury at the 2026 Cannes Film Festival

movie star at Cannes — Chloé Zhao, the Oscar-winning director of Nomadland and Hamnet, arrives in Cannes as a member of this year's festival jury

CANNES, FRANCE - MAY 11: Member of the jury US actress and producer Demi Moore arrives at the Hotel Martinez for a dinner with fellow members of the jury ahead of the 79th annual Cannes Film Festival in Cannes, France on May 11, 2026. (Photo by Mustafa Ya — Demi Moore joined fellow jury members ahead of the Cannes Film Festival opening

Scottish-Irish director at Cannes — Scottish-Irish screenwriter Paul Laverty, known for films such as I, Daniel Blake and The Wind That Shakes the Barley, is also a member of this year's jury

Super model arrives for Cannes — German-American model Heidi Klum was spotted out and about in Cannes

Canadian actor at Cannes — Canadian actor Nathan Mitchell spotted strolling through Nice Airport

French actor at Cannes — French actor Lucas Bravo arrives at the Grand Hyatt Cannes Hotel Martinez

Demi Moore poses during the Jury photocall at the 79th annual Cannes Film Festival at Palais des Festivals on May 12, 2026 in Cannes, France. (Photo by Samir Hussein/WireImage) — Jury member Demi Moore on the Croisette

President of the jury South Korean director, screenwriter and producer Park Chan-wook arrives for the star-studded event

Cannes jury member — Laura Wandel, the Belgian filmmaker behind Playground, is serving as a jury member at the Cannes Film Festival this year

Member of the jury Chilean director and screenwriter — Chilean director and screenwriter Diego Céspedes arrives for jury duty

Member of Cannes jury — French-Ivorian actor, Isaach De Bankolé, is also serving on the Cannes Film Festival jury

The Cannes Film Festival Jury pose during the Jury photocall at the 79th annual Cannes Film Festival at Palais des Festivals on 12 May, 2026 in Cannes, France. (Photo by Samir Hussein/WireImage) — (L-R) Jury members Demi Moore, Isaach de Bankolé, Laura Wandel, Stellan Skarsgård, Chloé Zhao, jury president Park Chan-wook, Ruth Negga, Diego Céspedes and Paul Laverty pose during the jury photocall

Cannes festival begins as stars and jury arrive on the Riviera

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