At the opening ceremony of the Cannes Festival, Jane Fonda declared, “Cinema has always been an act of resistance because we tell stories.” With a clenched fist in her sparkling Gucci dress, she underscored the importance of film as a medium of protest. Host Eye Haïdara welcomed the audience and stressed that resistance against artificial intelligence is particularly important this year, as Meta is a sponsor.
Haïdara’s critique of AI was the most political statement of the evening. She urged attendees to stand against the threat posed by technology that could replace reality. This message was supported by many present, who praised the unifying power of cinema. Jury member Demi Moore expressed her excitement about being surrounded by film.
However, Scottish director Paul Laverty spoke of “dark times” and specifically mentioned the “genocide in Gaza,” which was not further elaborated upon in the discussion. These differing perspectives highlight the tensions within the industry as major Hollywood studios cut their festival budgets.
This year, no major Hollywood film is premiering at Cannes, which also affects the star density on the red carpet. Despite the absence of big productions, hundreds of onlookers crowded to catch a glimpse of the opening ceremony. Cannes president Iris Knobloch welcomed the guests, while director Peter Jackson, who is leading the festival this year, was the center of attention.
