The 79th edition of the Cannes Film Festival opened on the French Riviera with a ceremony that blended celebration and political candor, according to a report by Jake Coyle of the Associated Press. Director Peter Jackson, best known for “The Lord of the Rings” trilogy, received an honorary Palme d’Or, introduced by actor Elijah Wood, who played Frodo Baggins in Jackson’s franchise. “I’ve never figured out why I’m getting a Palme d’Or. I’m not a Palme d’Or sorta guy,” Jackson said before being serenaded with a rendition of the Beatles’ “Get Back,” a nod to his 2021 documentary.
The festival’s opening also saw Jane Fonda and Gong Li officially launch the event, with Fonda declaring that “cinema has always been an act of resistance.” The remark set the stage for a jury press conference where members addressed the intersection of art and global conflict. Paul Laverty, the Scottish screenwriter and frequent collaborator with director Ken Loach, pointed to this year’s Cannes poster — an image from “Thelma and Louise” — while discussing what he called “genocide in Gaza.” Quoting “King Lear,” he said, “Madmen lead the blind.”
“Cannes has a wonderful poster,” Laverty said. “Isn’t it fascinating to see some of them like Susan Sarandon, Javier Bardem and Mark Ruffalo blacklisted because of their views in opposing the murder of women and children in Gaza? Shame on Hollywood people who do that.”
Jury president Park Chan-wook, the South Korean filmmaker of “Oldboy,” said politics and cinema are inseparable. “Art and politics are not concepts that are in conflict with each other,” he said. “One cannot disqualify a film on the pretext that it has a political message. Just as one cannot reject a film because it would not be political enough.”
The jury, which includes Chloé Zhao, Stellan Skarsgård, Ruth Negga, and Demi Moore, also confronted the rise of artificial intelligence. Moore, who celebrated a career resurgence at Cannes two years ago with “The Substance,” spoke about the technology’s inevitability. “AI is here, and so to fight it is to, in a sense, to fight something that is a battle that we will lose,” she said. “So to find ways in which we can work with it, I think, is a more valuable path. Are we doing enough to protect ourselves? I don’t know. My inclination would be to say probably not.”
Away from the jury’s comments, the festival’s lineup reflects shifts in the industry. Hollywood’s presence is markedly smaller this year, with studio films either avoiding the risk of a harsh reception or balking at the expense of flying in stars. The closest thing to a blockbuster is an anniversary celebration for “Fast & Furious.” Cannes artistic director Thierry Frémaux said Hollywood “is reshaping” amid the proposed Paramount Skydance acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery. “I hope the studio films will come back,” Frémaux told reporters.
While the festival may lack big-studio premieres, it remains an engine for awards season. Past Palme d’Or winner “Anora” went on to win the best picture Oscar, and last year’s selections such as “Sentimental Value” and “The Secret Agent” figured prominently in the race. Distributor Neon has backed the last six Palme d’Or winners and is involved with more than a quarter of this year’s competition titles. The star wattage is undimmed: Kristen Stewart, Barbra Streisand, Adam Driver, Cate Blanchett, and others are expected on the Croisette over the next two weeks.