Cannes 2026: Indian stars, films making waves this year
What's the story
The prestigious Cannes Film Festival kicked off on Tuesday. The 79th edition of this global cinematic celebration comes amid the industry grappling with artificial intelligence (AI), debates on political influence in filmmaking, and Hollywood's absence. Over the next two weeks, Cannes will hope to dominate headlines for all the right reasons. Here's a look at what awaits us at this year's festival.
Film lineup
Palme d'Or race and jury
Twenty-two films from across the globe are competing for the coveted Palme d'Or at this year's Cannes. These include new works by renowned directors like Spain's Pedro Almodovar, Japan's Hirokazu Kore-eda, and Romania's Cristian Mungiu. Among them, Sheep in the Box by Kore-eda is a frontrunner with its AI and technology themes. The nine-member jury is led by South Korean director Park Chan-Wook and includes Demi Moore. Winners will be announced on the last day on May 23.
Star power
Absence of Hollywood blockbusters
This year, Hollywood's biggest films are notably absent from Cannes. Upcoming projects like Christopher Nolan's The Odyssey and Steven Spielberg's Disclosure Day won't be premiering at the festival. This could be due to cost-cutting measures and their preference for manufactured launches. However, Vin Diesel and Michelle Rodriguez will attend a special 25th-anniversary screening of The Fast and the Furious. Indian stars Aishwarya Rai, Alia Bhatt, Aditi Rao Hydari, Mouni Roy, and Tara Sutaria are expected to grace the red carpet.
Film highlights
Indian representation restored classic
Also set to premiere are Ahsas Channa's Gudgudi, Roy's Bombay Stories, Chidambaram's Balan, and the restored version of the 1986 film Amma Ariyan. Indian filmmaker Ashutosh Gowariker will represent India as the newly appointed director of the International Film Festival of India (IFFI). Regional cinema stalwarts like Punjabi actor-singer Ammy Virk, Marathi veterans Ashok Saraf and Nivedita Saraf, and Gujarati actor-producer Mansi Parekh are also expected to attend.