The 79th edition of the Cannes Film Festival will open on May 12 with the world premiere of Pierre Salvadori’s 1920s-set comedy, La Vénus électrique, per variety.com. In accordance with festival regulations, the film, Salvadori’s 11th feature, will receive a simultaneous nationwide theatrical release across France on the same day.
Set in Paris during the Roaring Twenties, the production is described as a sophisticated comedy inspired by the works of Ernst Lubitsch and Billy Wilder. The film features a prominent French cast including Pio Marmaï, Anaïs Demoustier, and Gilles Lellouche, alongside Vimala Pons and Gustave Kervern. Philippe Martin produced the feature for Les Films Pelléas.
Salvadori expressed his appreciation for the festival’s role in supporting auteur cinema, stating that the project embodies his commitment to the craft. *La Vénus électrique* follows Amélie Bonnin’s *Leave One Day*, which opened the prestigious event last year.
The opening ceremony will be hosted by French actor Eye Haïdara and broadcast live on France Télévisions and Brut. This year’s festival will also feature honorary Palme d’Or presentations to American icon Barbra Streisand and New Zealand filmmaker Peter Jackson.
South Korean director Park Chan-wook will preside over the festival jury, succeeding Juliette Binoche. The full 2026 lineup, curated by festival director Thierry Frémaux, is scheduled for announcement during a press conference on April 9.
•Featured image Courtesy Cannes Film Festival
