The 79th Cannes Film Festival wrapped up on May 23, 2026, with Romanian director Cristian Mungiu winning his second Palme d’Or for the political drama Fjord. But the bigger story coming out of the French Riviera is what was missing: Hollywood blockbusters. Many critics and journalists pointed out the lack of major American studios and stars on the red carpet this year.
Yet Thierry Fremaux, the festival’s general delegate who just completed his 25th year in charge, sees things very differently. In a detailed interview with Variety published on June 4, 2026, Fremaux pushed back hard against claims that Cannes is losing its Hollywood appeal.
Fremaux Says American Cinema Still Matters at Cannes
The festival director acknowledged that studio presence was lighter this year. But he argues that people are forgetting the bigger picture. He pointed out that major American stars still walked the red carpet in 2026.
“The United States is the second most represented country in Cannes,” Fremaux stated in the interview. He listed stars who attended including Adam Driver, Kristen Stewart, Michael Fassbender, Rami Malek, Cate Blanchett, Julianne Moore, Javier Bardem, Penelope Cruz, John Travolta and Vin Diesel.
Fremaux also reminded everyone that Hollywood blockbusters do come to Cannes when they are ready. “When they have blockbusters like Top Gun: Maverick or Mission: Impossible, they come,” he said. He noted that those films play out of competition, so awards are not their main concern.
The director explained that the US film industry is going through “a profound restructuring” right now. He suggested this is the real reason for fewer studio movies at festivals, not a rejection of Cannes specifically.
Club Kid Steals the Show Despite No Awards
One film that created massive buzz at this year’s festival was Club Kid, the directorial debut of Jordan Firstman. The movie premiered in the Un Certain Regard section and received a seven-minute standing ovation.
A24 bought the film for $17 million after a bidding war, making it the biggest sale of the festival. The movie stars Firstman as Peter, a drug-addled club promoter whose life changes when a 10-year-old son he never knew about shows up at his door. Cara Delevingne and Diego Calva also star in the film.
Despite all the buzz and big sale, Club Kid did not win any awards at Cannes. The Un Certain Regard top prize went to Sandra Wollner’s Everytime. Fremaux defended the decision to keep Club Kid in Un Certain Regard rather than moving it to the main competition.
“Club Kid was in Un Certain Regard, it was acclaimed and reached high sales prices, becoming one of the Festival’s major attractions. Would it have achieved the same success in competition? Jordan Firstman and his producers were happy with their Festival. We look forward to their next film.”
The director explained that Un Certain Regard has become a key place for nurturing new talent. He noted that 11 of the 22 Competition filmmakers were there for the first time, showing a 72% renewal rate.
Fremaux Addresses Bollore Controversy Head-On
The festival was also shaken by political tensions involving Vincent Bollore, the powerful French billionaire who controls Canal+. A petition criticizing Bollore’s influence dominated headlines during the two-week event.
For the first time, Fremaux spoke directly about the controversy. He said the festival itself was not the target, but Cannes became a “sounding board” because it offers an exceptional platform for public debate.
“Speaking of a ‘fascist vision’ seems somewhat disproportionate,” Fremaux said, criticizing the petition’s strong language. “Violent vocabulary, whatever its justification, only adds to violence.”
But Fremaux did not defend Bollore either. He made a notable statement about the media mogul’s political ambitions.
“Vincent Bollore makes no secret of pursuing an ideological project with a view toward the next French presidential election. And that he is using his newspapers and television channels in the service of that ambition. He has the right to do so. But it raises questions for many people because it is no longer simply business but political engagement.”
The boos against Canal+ when their logo appeared on screen during gala screenings were quite loud. Fremaux downplayed the intensity, saying “it was not May ’68 either.”
Netflix Return Could Happen, Fremaux Says Hopeful
Another major topic was whether Netflix will ever come back to Cannes. The streaming giant and the festival have had a rocky relationship since 2017 when a rule was introduced requiring competition films to have a theatrical release in France.
Fremaux said he remains hopeful. He directly invited Ted Sarandos, Netflix’s co-CEO, to return.
“Ted Sarandos knows he is welcome. One can have a fantastic presence in Cannes, as Warner, Universal, and Paramount recently did. Iris and I always hope to convince him to reconsider: Netflix’s return to Cannes would be a major event.”
Fremaux pointed to Greta Gerwig’s upcoming Netflix film Narnia: The Magician’s Nephew as a positive sign. The film is planning a strong theatrical release strategy before streaming. He called for bringing “the worlds of streaming and movie theaters closer together.”
Palme d’Or Winner and Awards Season Predictions
Cristian Mungiu’s Fjord won the Palme d’Or on May 23. The film tells the story of a Romanian-Norwegian couple who face intense scrutiny from neighbors after settling in a remote village. This is Mungiu’s second Palme d’Or, following his 2007 win for 4 Months, 3 Weeks and 2 Days.
Sebastian Stan and Renate Reinsve star in the film. Tilda Swinton also appeared with the cast on stage during the closing ceremony.
Other prize winners included Andrey Zvyagintsev’s Minotaur winning the Grand Prix, Pawel Pawlikowski’s Fatherland winning Best Director, and Ryusuke Hamaguchi’s All of a Sudden winning Best Screenplay.
Fremaux predicted that several Cannes films will become awards season contenders. He mentioned Fjord, Minotaur, Fatherland, James Gray’s Paper Tiger, and Ira Sachs’ The Man I Love as potential Oscar players for 2027.
“Who could have expected the triumphs of Parasite, Anatomy of a Fall, Emilia Perez, Anora?” Fremaux asked. “The Academy’s openness toward international cinema should be applauded.”
Also Read:
Looking at the 80th Edition in 2027
Fremaux confirmed that the 80th Cannes Film Festival will take place from May 11 to May 22, 2027. He said planning is already underway for this symbolic edition.
“With one primary intention: inviting all those who have made the Festival’s history. The Cannes Film Festival is a collective celebration and must remain one.”
When asked about Ruben Ostlund’s next film, Fremaux said he has not seen anything yet. “You will know more – and so will I – in April 2027.”
He also responded to questions about whether the festival has gone soft, noting that no film caused a major scandal this year. Fremaux said controversy now happens differently. “In the past, the trend was to slam seats or shout disapproval; today, it happens on smartphones, through the capillarity and extroversion of digital opinions.”
Also Read: Quentin Tarantino Calls Modern Hollywood a Flavorless Sausage Factory, Praises One Recent Thriller
For more breaking entertainment news and film festival coverage, keep visiting VvipTimes for the latest updates from around the world.
