CANNES, France (AP) 鈥� The launched on Tuesday, marking the start of 12 days of nonstop premieres that will culminate May 23 with the presentation of the prestigious Palme d鈥橭r.
Here are five things that happened on Cannes’ opening day:
Peter Jackson received an honorary Palme d’Or
The French Riviera festival began with a tribute to Jackson, handing the 鈥淟ord of the Rings鈥� filmmaker an honorary Palme d鈥橭r. He was introduced by Elijah Wood, who played Frodo Baggins in the films.
鈥淚鈥檝e never figured out why I鈥檓 getting a Palme d鈥橭r. I鈥檓 not a Palme d鈥橭r sorta guy,鈥� said the shaggy-haired New Zealand filmmaker.
Jackson was then serenaded with a rendition of the Beatles鈥� 鈥淕et Back,鈥� a nod to his . The director sat stage right mouthing the lyrics.
Jane Fonda and Gong Li declared the festival open
The task of declaring the festival officially open fell to the 88-year-old Fonda and Gong, the Chinese-Singaporean actor.
鈥淐inema has always been an act of resistance,鈥� said Fonda.
Politics dominated the jury introduction
At the introduction of the jury that will decide the Palme d鈥橭r 鈥� Cannes鈥� top honor 鈥� jury members spoke bluntly about holding a film festival during a time of geopolitical conflict.
Paul Laverty, the Scottish screenwriter known for his films with director Ken Loach, pointed toward this year鈥檚 Cannes poster, of 鈥淭helma and Louise,鈥� while discussing attending Cannes during what he called 鈥済enocide in Gaza.鈥�
Quoting 鈥淜ing Lear,鈥� he said: 鈥淢admen lead the blind.鈥�
鈥淐annes has a wonderful poster,鈥� said Laverty. 鈥淚sn鈥檛 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.鈥�
The nine-member jury is being presided over by , the South Korean filmmaker of 鈥淥ldboy鈥� and 鈥淣o Other Choice,鈥� who said that politics and cinema go hand in hand.
鈥淎rt and politics are not concepts that are in conflict with each other,鈥� said Park. 鈥淥ne 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.鈥�
Other jury members include Chlo茅 Zhao, Stellan Skarsg氓rd, Ruth Negga and Demi Moore, who two years ago was celebrated in Cannes
James Franco turned up on the red carpet
Cannes has sometimes been known for hosting personalities that find a less welcome reception in Hollywood. Three years ago, the festival famously
On Tuesday, James Franco was an unexpected guest at the opening ceremony. The 48-year-old actor also appeared in Cannes in 2024.
In 2021, Franco and his co-defendants to settle a lawsuit alleging he intimidated students at an acting and film school he founded into gratuitous and exploitative sexual situations.
Guillermo del Toro presented a restored 鈥楶an鈥檚 Labyrinth鈥�
Twenty years after premiered his lauded fable, 鈥淧an’s Labyrinth,鈥� he returned to Cannes on Tuesday to screen a 4K restoration of it. The filmmaker said the movie, about a young girl and fascist captain in 1940s Spain, remains timely.
鈥淲e are, unfortunately, in times that make this movie more pertinent than ever because they tell us everything is useless to resist, that art can be done with a 鈥�-ing app,鈥� said del Toro.
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