Cannes 2026
Bouquet of good news !
Published
Cannes 2026 is shaping up to be a strong vintage despite (or because of?) the geopolitical context, rich with films that try to show us where humans can or should listen closely, awaken their conscience, or rekindle a desire for humanist struggles. A selection that feels disconnected from Hollywood, giving space to fresh voices we truly need.
In this vibrant context, the Groupe Ouest team is pleased to announce a bouquet of good news:
Ben’imana is the first film by a Rwandan female director, she selected in the Official Competition, in the Un Certain Regard section.
This debut feature by Marie-Clémentine Dusabejambo (Rwanda), described as “stunning” by Thierry Frémaux, the General Delegate of the Cannes Film Festival, is a gem of sensitivity created by a team that is 90% Rwandan. A powerful and necessary film, which went through our flagship European program: LIM / Less is More.
Shana, by Lila Pinell, has been selected for the Quinzaine des Cinéastes.
This is also a debut feature, bursting with energy, wildly unique, and offering a kind of immersion rarely seen in cinema. Lila took part in the Groupe Ouest Annual Selection, whose twentieth anniversary we will celebrate this year.
At the same time, distinguished filmmakers who took part in Groupe Ouest quite some time ago will be making their grand return to Cannes in the Official Competition with their new works—period films grappling with the First World War for one (Lukas) and the Second World War for the other (László):
- Lukas Dhont, with Coward.
- László Nemes, with Moulin.
And in the Official Competition on the short film side, we also find Daniel Soares with A Few Things Happening by a River, a Portuguese director who took part in LIM in 2024!