The 79th Cannes Film Festival opened on Tuesday night with a gala ceremony that combined film celebrations, politics and red carpet headliners as filmmakers and actors descended on the French Riviera to kick off the 2026 edition.
The opening ceremony at the Palais des Festivals paid tribute to New Zealand filmmaker Peter Jackson, who received an honorary Palme d’Or for his contribution to cinematography and film technology.
Peter Jackson honored at opening ceremony
Jackson, who is best known for directing the Lord of the Rings trilogy, was introduced by actor Elijah Wood before accepting the award.
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New Zealand filmmaker Peter Jackson has been awarded an honorary Palme d’Or at the opening ceremony of the 2026 Cannes Film Festival for his contribution to cinema. Barbra Streisand also received an Honorary Palme d’Or.
Veteran actress Jane Fonda delivered remarks on cinematography, resistance and artistic freedom. Scottish screenwriter Paul Laverty criticized the blacklisting of actors, and jury president Park Chan-wook defended political expression in filmmaking.
James Franco’s appearance at Cannes marked his return to major film festivals after years of reduced visibility, multiple sexual abuse allegations and a settled lawsuit.
22 films are competing for the Palme d’Or at Cannes 2026, including works by Pedro Almodóvar, Asghar Farhadi, Ryusuke Hamaguchi and James Gray, among others.
Alia Bhatt attended Cannes 2026 as a global ambassador for L’Oréal Paris wearing a white couture gown designed by Yash Patil with hand-painted artwork inspired by 1950s fashion and the French Riviera.
The tribute was followed by a live performance of The Beatles’ “Get Back,” a reference to Jackson’s acclaimed documentary series The Beatles: Get Back.
During the ceremony, Jackson described the recognition as “one of the greatest privileges” of his career, joking that he “never figured out why” he received the honor.
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The award marked one of the highlights of the opening night of the festival, which heavily focused on established international filmmakers and industry veterans.
Jane Fonda and members of the jury bring politics to Cannes
Politics also featured prominently during the first day of the festival.
Veteran actress Jane Fonda helped officially declare the festival open alongside Chinese actor Gong Li, delivering remarks focused on cinema, resistance and artistic freedom.
Members of this year’s competition jury also addressed international political issues during press appearances earlier in the day.
Scottish screenwriter Paul Laverty criticized what he described as the blacklisting of actors over Gaza-related comments, while jury president Park Chan-wook defended political expression in the filmmaking.
Cannes has historically served as both a film showcase and a platform for wider political debate, with global conflicts and freedom of expression remaining recurring themes in recent editions.
James Franco returns to the Cannes red carpet
Among the most closely watched arrivals of the night was James Franco, whose performance marked a return to Cannes after years of reduced public visibility.
Franco’s appearance drew particular attention because the actor has largely stayed away from major Hollywood events and film festivals in recent years following multiple sexual abuse allegations and a lawsuit with former acting students that he settled in 2021.
Franco attended the opening ceremony alongside Izabel Pakzad and appeared on the red carpet before a screening of the opening film The Electric Kiss, directed by Pierre Salvadori.
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The actor’s presence attracted significant media attention as photographers and international press gathered outside the Palais des Festivals.
Other notable attendees at the opening night included Heidi Klum, Alfonso Cuaron, Bong Joon Ho, Joan Collins and Demi Moore.
The Cannes 2026 competition begins
This year’s Cannes Film Festival runs until May 23 and will feature 22 films competing for the Palme d’Or.
The competition lineup includes new films by Pedro Almodóvar, Asghar Farhadi, Ryusuke Hamaguchi and James Gray.
Festival organizers acknowledged a smaller presence from Hollywood studios this year, with uncertainty in the industry and rising production costs affecting attendance.
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Despite this, Cannes continues to attract major international directors, actors and producers and maintains its status as one of the film industry’s most influential global events.
