Spanish directors Los Javis premiered La Bola Negra at Cannes to a historic 20-minute ovation, an emotional, century-spanning epic about three gay men in Spain that signals a major breakthrough for the duo amid a relatively quiet festival.
Berlin and Cannes have been roiled by political debates—from Wim Wenders’ controversial remarks to funding backlash and AI discourse—setting Venice up for a notably political edition. The lineup threads Gaza, Russia, Iran, and AI themes, features AI-made Be Brave and documentaries like Musk, and probes how film as a global cultural space navigates geopolitics and technology.
Jordana Brewster looks back at the unlikely 1990s audition that launched The Fast and the Furious, detailing Mia Toretto’s creation, her racing-boot camp experience, and the on-screen chemistry with Paul Walker. She praises Rob Cohen’s multi-threaded storytelling, notes the franchise’s evolution under Justin Lin, and reflects on the film’s Cannes 25th-anniversary restoration as a validation of its enduring legacy—plus a hint that she may return for future installments as the series continues to expand.
Vulture’s Alison Willmore argues Cannes 2026 marks a turning point for the festival as big-studio tentpoles pull back, leaving a leaner, more arthouse–leaning slate; even with boos for The Unknown and a generally underwhelming lineup, the festival still delivered standout performances and moments (like All of a Sudden and Teenage Sex and Death at Camp Miasma), highlighting cinema’s evolving economics and continued prestige amid industry turbulence.
Hideo Kojima and Nicolas Winding Refn teamed up with Prada to produce an AI-assisted teaser promoting Prada mode in New York; revealed at Cannes, the six-minute concept follows the duo through space and a crash on a hostile planet, with a shorter online teaser; described as an artistic experiment exploring new creative possibilities through AI technology and met with mixed online reactions.
Hollywood largely sat out Cannes 2026, with only two U.S. titles in Competition and no major premieres, leaving the festival Euro-centric and driven by global co-productions; a handful of American titles appeared in side programs, but the event clearly shows it can thrive without Hollywood megastars and highlights a broader, more diverse international cinema ecosystem.
The 79th Cannes Film Festival has concluded with Cristian Mungiu’s Fjord winning the Palme d’Or; coverage also highlights critics’ favorites and ongoing post-festival coverage.
Vogue highlights eight standout looks from the 2026 Cannes Film Festival, celebrating bold couture and modern glamour—from Demi Moore’s sculptural red Gucci gown and dramatic pink Matières Fécales ballgown to Renate Reinsve’s chic Louis Vuitton ensembles, with standout moments from Chloe Zhao, Ruth Negga, Stellan Skarsgård, Colman Domingo, Bella Hadid, and Isabelle Huppert.
At Cannes, Andrey Zvyagintsev used his Grand Prix acceptance to directly appeal to Vladimir Putin, urging him to end the war and the carnage. His new film Minotaur—a Russia-set domestic thriller and his first feature in about a decade—is in competition at Cannes and the Sydney Film Festival.
At Cannes 2026, Cristian Mungiu’s Fjord won the Palme d’Or, with Barbra Streisand slated for an Honorary Palme but unable to attend due to a knee injury; Isabelle Huppert delivered remarks praising Streisand’s career. The festival’s other prizes went to Best Director (La Bola Negra and Fatherland), Best Screenplay (Emmanuel Marre for A Man of His Time), Best Actress (Virginie Efira and Tao Okamoto for All of a Sudden), Best Actor (Emmanuel Macchia and Valentin Campagne for Coward), and Best Short Film (Para Los Contincantes). Un Certain Regard honored Everytime with Best Film, Elephants in the Fog with the Jury Prize, and Iron Boy with a Special Jury Prize; Honorary Palmes were also awarded to Peter Jackson and John Travolta.}
Rebecca Hall anchors Maria Martinez Bayona’s Cannes premiere The End of It, a near‑future sci‑fi dramedy about an immortal artist who chooses to die. The film pairs strong performances (with Bernal, Rapace, and Feldstein) and striking Canary Islands visuals, but its uneven ending and a modest budget dampen its satirical punch, though it marks a promising directorial debut.
Barbra Streisand, sidelined by a knee injury, sent a thank-you video to Cannes as she was honored with the honorary Palme d’Or; Isabelle Huppert carried the statuette onstage and introduced a reel of Streisand’s films before Streisand appeared on video, with the iconic star reflecting on her love of foreign cinema and her challenging path to directing Yentl and other stories.
At Cannes 2026, jury president Park Chan-wook led a panel that awarded ties in three major categories: Best Director (La Bola Negra’s Javier Calvo & Javier Ambrossi tied with Paweł Pawlikowski for Fatherland), Best Actor (Emmanuel Macchia and Valentin Campagne for Coward), and Best Actress (Virginie Efira and Tao Okamoto for All Of A Sudden). The outcome sparked questions about the decisions, while Chloe Zhao praised the Palme d’Or as reflecting the jury’s diversity and Park quipped that he had no choice in the end.
Neon extends its Cannes Palme d’Or streak to seven with Cristian Mungiu’s Fjord winning the top prize, cementing Neon’s record-breaking run since Parasite in 2019.
Cannes’ closing slate may be mild in the moment, but several films are being highlighted as possible Oscar contenders: The Black Ball is seen as the strongest prospect, with high-profile appearances from Penélope Cruz and Glenn Close; Club Kid sold to A24 for around $17 million and is positioned for awards-season play; Scarlett Johansson’s Paper Tiger and Léa Seydoux’s Cannes run could mount campaigns; Rami Malek and Javier Bardem deliver standout performances in The Man I Love and The Beloved; Cristian Mungiu’s Fjord could break through in foreign categories; and veteran directors Andrey Zvyagintsev, Lukas Dhont, Ryusuke Hamaguchi, and Pawel Pawlikowski are back with new work that might yield nominations, aided by a new rule permitting two nominations in one category for actors, potentially helping Sandra Hüller in Fatherland.