Cannes 2026 opens with Peter Jackson tribute, Jane Fonda’s remarks and James Franco return on Day 1

The 79th Cannes Film Festival opened on Tuesday night with a ceremony that blended cinema celebration, politics and major red carpet appearances as filmmakers and actors arrived on the French Riviera for the start of the 2026 edition.

The opening ceremony at the Palais des Festivals was led by a tribute to New Zealand filmmaker Peter Jackson, who received an honorary Palme d’Or for his contribution to cinema and filmmaking technology.

A live performance of The Beatles’ ‘Get Back’ followed the tribute, referencing Jackson’s acclaimed documentary series The Beatles: Get Back.

Speaking during the ceremony, Jackson described the recognition as “one of the greatest privileges” of his career and joked that he had “never figured out why” he was receiving the honour.

The award marked one of the major moments of the festival’s opening night, which focused heavily on established international filmmakers and industry veterans.

Veteran actor Jane Fonda helped officially declare the festival open alongside Chinese actor Gong Li and delivered remarks centred 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 criticised what he described as the blacklisting of actors over comments related to Gaza, while jury president Park Chan-wook defended political expression in 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 throughout recent editions.

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 allegations of sexual misconduct and a lawsuit involving former acting students, which he settled in 2021.

Franco attended the opening ceremony alongside Izabel Pakzad and appeared on the red carpet ahead of the screening of opening film The Electric Kiss, directed by Pierre Salvadori.

The actor’s presence drew significant media attention as photographers and international press gathered outside the Palais des Festivals.

Other notable attendees on the opening night included Heidi Klum, Alfonso Cuarón, Bong Joon Ho, Joan Collins and Demi Moore.

The competition line-up includes new films from Pedro Almodóvar, Asghar Farhadi, Ryusuke Hamaguchi and James Gray.

Festival organisers have acknowledged a smaller Hollywood studio presence this year, with industry uncertainty and rising production costs affecting participation.

Despite that, Cannes continues to attract major international directors, actors and producers, maintaining its status as one of the film industry’s most influential global events.