Cannes 2026 Day 1: AI Debate, Jury Controversy, and Hollywood Absences Dominate Festival Opener

The 79th annual Cannes Film Festival has officially begun, and the prestigious event is already making headlines. With just one day in, the festival has generated significant buzz—from debates on artificial intelligence to the absence of Hollywood stars and the return of a celebrated director.

AI Takes Center Stage at Cannes Jury Press Conference

During a Tuesday press conference at Cannes, jury members addressed the pressing topic of artificial intelligence. Led by South Korean filmmaker Park Chan-wook—whose film No Other Choice screened at the festival last year—the jury fielded questions on AI’s role in cinema.

Actress Demi Moore, a jury member, shared her perspective on the technology:

"The reality is that to resist, I always feel that against-ness breeds against-ness. AI is here, and so to fight it is, in a sense, to fight something that is a battle that we will lose. So to find ways in which we can work with it, I think, is a more valuable path to take."

Moore continued,

"To your question of ‘Are we doing enough to protect ourselves?’ I don’t know. I don’t know the answer to that. My inclination would be to say probably not. Part of art is about expression. So if we start censoring ourselves, then I think we shut down the very core of our creativity, which is, I think, where we can discover truth and answers."

The jury also includes Belgian filmmaker Laura Wandel, Oscar-nominated director Chloé Zhao (Hamnet), and actress Ruth Negga.

Jury Member Paul Laverty Criticizes Hollywood’s Silence on Gaza

Scottish screenwriter Paul Laverty—known for scripting Palme d’Or winners The Wind That Shakes the Barley and I, Daniel Blake (both directed by Ken Loach)—addressed another contentious issue during the press conference. He voiced solidarity with Hollywood stars who have spoken out against Israeli forces’ actions in Gaza.

Laverty stated,

"Can I just leave one tiny thing? The Cannes Film Festival has a wonderful poster. Yes, and isn’t it fascinating to see some of them like Susan Sarandon, Javier Bardem, Mark Ruffalo blacklisted because of their views in opposing the murder of women and children in Gaza? Shame on Hollywood people who do that. My respect and total solidarity to them. They’re the best of us, I look up to them."

He added a darkly humorous remark, joking that he hoped the festival wouldn’t be bombed because the stars were featured on the official Cannes posters.

Guillermo del Toro Returns to Cannes

Amid the controversy, acclaimed director Guillermo del Toro made a notable appearance at the festival, marking his return to Cannes after previous screenings of his films.