The 79th Cannes film festival commences with honorary awards and competitive screenings

The 79th Cannes Film Festival opened with an event at the Grand Lumière Theatre, featuring guests including Jane Fonda, Demi Moore, Diego Luna, Chloe Zhao, and jury president Park Chan-wook. During the ceremony, director Peter Jackson was presented with an honorary Palme d'Or by actor Elijah Wood, who starred in Jackson's Lord of the Rings trilogy. Jane Fonda and Gong Li officially inaugurated the festival, highlighting international collaboration in cinema. The competitive program features 22 films vying for the Palme d'Or, including works by directors such as Asghar Farhadi, Pedro Almodóvar, James Gray, and Paweł Pawlikowski. The festival program includes diverse entries, ranging from Koji Fukada's film Nagi Notes to high-profile productions like James Gray's Paper Tiger. Pierre Salvadori also presented his 11th feature film, which is set in 1920s Paris and inspired by classic Hollywood comedies. The festival continues to focus on both established auteurs and emerging directorial talent from around the world.