The 2026 Cannes Film Festival will open with the world premiere of La Vénus Électrique, the latest feature from French filmmaker Pierre Salvadori. The film is set to screen on opening night, May 12, 2026, at the Grand Théâtre Lumière, immediately following the festival’s opening ceremony.
Marking Salvadori’s 11th feature film, La Vénus Électrique is described as a burlesque romantic comedy set in early 20th-century Paris. The story follows a once-celebrated painter who has fallen into grief and alcoholism after the death of his wife. Struggling to find purpose and inspiration, he encounters a clairvoyant woman, setting in motion an attempt to reconnect with his past and confront his loss.
The film stars Pio Marmaï, Anaïs Demoustier, Gilles Lellouche, Vimala Pons, and Gustave Kervern. The ensemble brings together a mix of established French performers, aligning with the film’s period setting and character-driven narrative.
Salvadori co-wrote the screenplay alongside Benjamin Charbit and Benoît Graffin, based on an original idea by Rebecca Zlotowski and Robin Campillo. The film is produced by Philippe Martin under the Les Films Pelléas banner.
In addition to its premiere at Cannes, La Vénus Électrique will also be screened simultaneously in cinemas across France, expanding its opening night reach beyond the festival venue. This dual-release approach reflects a growing trend of pairing festival premieres with broader audience accessibility.
The Cannes Film Festival will run from May 12 to May 23, 2026. The official selection lineup is scheduled to be announced on April 9, 2026, at 10:00 GMT. While the full slate of films has yet to be revealed, the opening film announcement offers the first confirmed look at this year’s programming.
This year’s festival will be presided over by Park Chan-wook as jury president, with Eye Haïdara set to host the opening ceremony. The festival will also honor Peter Jackson and Barbra Streisand with honorary Palme d’Or awards.
With La Vénus Électrique opening the festival, Cannes 2026 begins with a French-language production rooted in character-driven storytelling and period setting, setting the tone ahead of the full lineup announcement in April.
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