The 79th Cannes Film Festival has unveiled the official jury for its 2026 edition, bringing together an international lineup of acclaimed filmmakers, actors, writers, and producers under the presidency of celebrated South Korean director Park Chan-wook.
Joining Park on the jury are American actress and producer Demi Moore, Irish-Ethiopian actress Ruth Negga, Belgian filmmaker Laura Wandel, Chinese director Chloé Zhao, Chilean filmmaker Diego Céspedes, Ivorian-American actor Isaach De Bankolé, Scottish screenwriter Paul Laverty, and Swedish actor Stellan Skarsgård.
The jury will award the prestigious Palme d’Or to one of the 22 films competing in the festival’s main competition. The winners will be announced during the Closing Ceremony on May 23, with the event broadcast live in France by France Télévisions and internationally by Brut.
Park Chan-wook, known for internationally acclaimed films such as Oldboy, The Handmaiden, and Decision to Leave, returns to Cannes after multiple award-winning appearances at the festival. His visually striking and provocative storytelling has made him one of the defining voices of contemporary Korean cinema.
Hollywood star Demi Moore joins the jury following renewed critical acclaim for her performance in The Substance, which won the Best Screenplay Award at Cannes in 2024. Moore recently received major industry recognition, including Golden Globe and SAG Awards, as well as Academy Award and BAFTA nominations.
Oscar-nominated actress Ruth Negga also joins the panel after earning acclaim for her role in Loving, which premiered in competition at Cannes in 2016. Negga has built a successful career across film, television, and theater, receiving nominations for the Oscars, Tonys, Emmys, and Golden Globes.
Belgian director Laura Wandel, known for Playground and Adam’s Sake, represents a rising European filmmaking voice. Chinese filmmaker Chloé Zhao, who won Academy Awards for Nomadland, brings her globally celebrated storytelling experience to the jury.
The lineup also includes Chilean filmmaker Diego Céspedes, whose debut feature The Mysterious Gaze of the Flamingo won the Un Certain Regard Prize at Cannes in 2025, alongside veteran actor Isaach De Bankolé, known for collaborations with Jim Jarmusch and Claire Denis.
Award-winning Scottish screenwriter Paul Laverty, a longtime collaborator of Ken Loach, and acclaimed Swedish actor Stellan Skarsgård complete the jury panel. Skarsgård recently appeared in Joachim Trier’s Sentimental Value, which won the Grand Prix at Cannes in 2025.
The 79th Cannes Film Festival will run from May 12 to May 23, 2026.
By Cem Kaplan