From May 13 to 23, journalists and film lovers will rush to the doors of the Quinzaine, this parallel selection entirely independent from the Festival de Cannes, which over the decades has helped spotlight new talent who have since become widely known and respected filmmakers, like Ken Loach, Spike Lee, and the Dardenne brothers.
After the official competition, the Acid selection, the Critics Week and the Un Certain Regard, it is now the Quinzaine des Cinéastes’ turn to unveil its lineup for the Cannes Film Festival 2026; 28 distinctive titles for the 58th edition of this cinematic event, created by a community of filmmakers and aimed at promoting the emergence of free-form visions from diverse backgrounds, with a focus on the singularity of the works rather than on traditional classifications.
"5 continents and 19 countries are represented, with a notable presence of cinemas that are rarely showcased, such as Nigeria, Sudan, Guatemala, Venezuela, and Cyprus. We’re thrilled by the strong showing of documentaries (3 feature-length and 2 short) and animation (also 3 feature-length and 2 short) featuring highly distinctive works that prove documentary and animated storytelling can be exceptionally rich and vibrant. Finally, we are delighted to welcome the event that is Alain Cavalier's new film. Alain was among the trailblazers who helped shape the Quinzaine's history."
For this edition, 28 films have been selected, including the first six films, each representing a spirit of resistance against ideology and dominant discourses through their unique language. This selection reflects the commitment of the Quinzaine des Cinéastes to promote bold and innovative cinematic works, by maintaining an independent space for filmmakers and celebrating artistic diversity.
It is also time to unveil the poster for the Quinzaine des Cinéastes 2026 signed by Alain Guiraudie. Author of 7 feature films, three of which were revealed at the Quinzaine (This old dream that moves, No Rest for the Brave and The King of Escape), the French filmmaker presents a poster conceived as "an invitation to wander in mysterious, ancient woods, where a sunbeam pierces the foliage and seems to trace a path, straight toward the morning."
La Quinzaine détaille : "At the heart of a bucolic forest, a man walks naked among the trees. His body is massive, earthly, carnal. Has he just feasted? Is he seeking a refuge for a forthcoming reverie? Lost in a wondrous world, he could be a fairy-tale character. A bard, perhaps, wandering and singing after gathering dourougne — this wild plant from which a brew called brigoule is made here. The image trembles with a slight blur; the foliage hides what it reveals only halfway. Between visible and hidden, desire flows in this photograph by Alain Guiraudie, from his latest series on display at Crèvecœur Gallery in Paris. As in his cinema, nature becomes a space of desire, of storytelling and imaginary drift: a place for sensuous strolls and metamorphoses, a territory where the real takes on myth."
In 2026, the SRF - Société des réalisatrices et réalisateurs de films proudly celebrates filmmaker Claire Denis, who will become the 24e lauréate du Carrosse d'Or, a prestigious prize established in 2002 to honor a director for the audacity and quality of their work. The Carrosse d'Or 2026 will be awarded during the opening ceremony of the Quinzaine des Cinéastes on May 13. Last year, it was American filmmaker Todd Haynes who received the prize.
Finally, as always, the 2026 selection of the Directors' Fortnight will be shown in Paris at the Forum des Images, giving Parisians a chance to discover these works before their official release in cinemas!
