Cannes Unveils 79th Festival Official Selection

Paris, France - Organizers of the 79th Cannes Film Festival unveiled the official selection of films on April 9, highlighting a lineup dominated by international auteurs and independent cinema during a livestreamed press conference. Festival President Iris Knobloch and General Delegate Thierry Frémaux presented the program, which features 21 films in competition and tributes to industry icons, ahead of the event scheduled for May 12 to 23 on the French Riviera.

The festival will open on May 12 with Pierre Salvadori's romantic comedy The Electric Kiss, a 1920s-set story of artistic effervescence starring Pio Marmaï, Anaïs Demoustier, Gilles Lellouche, and Vimala Pons. South Korean director Park Chan-wook, known for films such as Oldboy and Decision to Leave, will preside over the competition jury, with the full panel to be announced later. Honorary Palme d'Or awards will honor Barbra Streisand for her multifaceted career as an actor, singer, and director, and Peter Jackson for his contributions to cinema, including the Lord of the Rings trilogy.

In the main competition, 21 features vie for the Palme d'Or, including returns from acclaimed directors. Pedro Almodóvar's Bitter...