The 79th Cannes Opens With a Speech, Not a Spectacle
French actress Eye Haïdara opened the 79th Festival de Cannes with a direct address: 'To all of you who are trying to resist, here and elsewhere.' The line, more than the films, set the tone for the festival.
The Obsidian Desk
Cannes openings are typically a carefully calibrated mix of ceremony and self-congratulation. This year's, by design, was different. Haïdara's address — short, deliberate, political — placed the festival inside the moment rather than apart from it.
The competition slate reflects the same instinct. A heavy presence of work from filmmakers under censorship pressure at home, including new entries from Iran and Russia in absentia, signals where the jury's instincts are pointed.
Sources & Further Reading
