#croisette

The 79th Cannes Film Festival is officially underway, and France 24 is live from the Croisette for its very first Cannes 2026 special. Join Culture Editor Eve Jackson and Film Critic Emma Jones as they break down the biggest moments from opening night: the honorary Palme d’Or presented to Peter Jackson, the arrival of Hollywood stars on the red carpet, and the films already creating buzz on the Croisette.

The 2026 Cannes Film Festival opens Tuesday with 22 films vying for the prestigious Palme d'Or. The off-screen discourse this year is dominated by a dispute over AI, with festival director Thierry Frémaux and thousands of French actors and filmmakers warning about its effects on the industry. Despite the absence of Hollywood studio giants such as Disney or Warner, there will be no shortage of celeb A-listers on the Croisette this year.