Cannes 2026: Hollywood MIA, AI Arrives, Club Kid Breaks the Bank

TL;DR Summary
Cannes 2026 saw Hollywood largely absent as studios balk at big-budget risks amid wary critics, but the festival still delivered buzz: Jordan Firstman’s directorial debut Club Kid sparked a $17 million global rights deal with A24, marking the festival’s first major bidding win. AI was openly embraced as a cost-saving and creative tool, signaling a shift in how films are produced and marketed. Geopolitical tensions cast a somber mood despite the cinema showcase, underscoring a Cannes edition defined by experimentation and industry recalibration rather than star-studded spectacle.
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