Cannes Festival Opens With Stars on Croisette

Cannes opened Tuesday with the Croisette doing what it does best: turning a seaside boulevard into the center of the film world.

The annual festival began in the French Riviera resort town with its usual collision of glamour and artistic prestige. Red carpet arrivals signaled the start of another high-stakes run of premieres, dealmaking and image-making, as stars and international auteurs gathered for one of cinema’s most watched events.

Cannes returns to its core ritual: a global parade of filmmakers, stars and scrutiny under the brightest lights in cinema.

This year’s edition carries a notable shift. Reports indicate the lineup features fewer big American movies than some recent festivals, a change that puts more attention on international titles and the directors who have long defined Cannes’ identity. That does not mean a shortage of marquee names. The opening wave includes Scarlett Johansson, Rami Malek, Javier Bardem, Isabelle Huppert, Catherine Deneuve, Sebastian Stan and Charles Melton, with sources also pointing to Sandra as part of the festival spotlight.

That mix matters because Cannes has always sold more than fashion and photographs. The festival sets a tone for the months ahead in global film culture, shaping which movies dominate conversation and which artists leave France with momentum. When American studio presence thins, the balance can shift toward arthouse voices, international competition and the kind of discovery that gives Cannes its staying power.

Now the question turns from arrivals to impact. As premieres unfold and juries begin their work, the festival will test whether a less Hollywood-heavy edition changes the center of gravity on the Croisette. For audiences, the answer will help reveal which films and performances break through next — and whether Cannes still leads the conversation by leaning harder into its international roots.