Published: 11:30 AM, 25 May 2026
The movies vying for the Cannes Film Festival's top prize
Twenty-two films from some of the world's most celebrated directors are vying for the top prize at the Cannes Film Festival, which will be handed out on Saturday. The award will be decided by a jury headed by South Korean auteur Park Chan-wook, which includes Hollywood star Demi Moore and Oscar-winning "Hamnet" and "Nomadland" director Chloe Zhao.
'Minotaur' by Andrey Zvyagintsev
The first film in nine years from the acclaimed and exiled Russian filmmaker is one of the frontrunners, with its intimate plot of an unhappy couple set against the ominous background of Russia's war against Ukraine.
'A Man of His Time' by Emmanuel Marre
The clear favourite with French critics, this story of an ambitious local official during the Nazi occupation features a memorable dance scene and a virtuoso performance by lead actor Swann Arlaud.
'The Black Ball' by Javier Calvo and Javier Ambrossi
This big-budget, sprawling Spanish historical film exploring gay lives stars Penelope Cruz, and got a 20-minute standing ovation at its premiere, the longest this year.
'Paper Tiger' by James Gray
The American director of "The Yards" and "Little Odessa" returns to familiar territory, his Queens neighbourhood in New York, for this atmospheric crime drama about two brothers tangling with the Russian mafia, with Adam Driver, Scarlett Johansson and Miles Teller.
'Fatherland' by Pawel Pawlikowski
An arty critics' darling, the black-and-white movie from the Polish director features a searing performance from German actress Sandra Huller as the conflicted daughter of German writer Thomas Mann as they return to their war-shattered homeland in 1949.
'Fjord' by Cristian Mungiu
The Romanian winner of the 2007 Palme d'Or has made one of the most hotly debated films of the festival, casting a critical lens on well-meaning left-wingers and their prejudices through a story about a devout Christian family in Norway.
'The Beloved' by Rodrigo Sorogoyen Hailed by some as Javier Bardem's best-ever performance, he plays a film director who tries to rekindle his relationship with his estranged actress daughter on a troubled shoot.
