Hollywood legends Dame Joan Collins, 92, and Jane Fonda, 88, turned heads on the red carpet at the 79th Cannes Film Festival opening ceremony at the Palais des Festivals. Collins radiated elegance in a striking white gown accented by a sparkling diamond necklace and black gloves, accompanied by her husband, Percy Gibson, 61. Fonda, with her storied six-decade career, captivated in a floor-length black sequin dress, marking a shift from recent years dominated by models.
Red Carpet Standouts
Demi Moore, 63, exuded effortless sophistication in a strapless white sequin gown paired with a bold diamond necklace. Model Poppy Delevingne, 40, impressed in a sheer lace and velvet dress that highlighted her refined style. Maura Higgins, 35, commanded attention in a strapless black-and-white gown featuring a dramatic oversized bow at the back, elevated by platform heels.
Heidi Klum, 52, arrived in a sheer nude dress adorned with pink floral details, showcasing her signature flair. Influencer Caroline Daur, 31, made a bold statement in a strapless red-and-black feathered gown. Former Made in Chelsea star Kimberley Garner shone in a pink floral dress, striking poses with confidence.
Other arrivals included Gillian Anderson, Michelle Rodriguez, Riley Keough, Halsey, James Franco with Izabel Paknad, Kelly Rutherford, Hofit Golan, Carlos Sainz with Rebecca Donaldson, and Emma Thynn, who attended Vanity Fair’s star-studded lunch earlier in the day.
The Opening Film and Jury
The festival kicked off with The Electric Kiss, a period romantic comedy-drama directed by Pierre Salvadori and starring Pio Marmaï, Anaïs Demoustier, Gilles Lellouche, and Vimala Pons.
Organizers announced the nine-member jury, led by South Korean filmmaker Park Chan-wook as president. Members include Demi Moore, Hamnet director Chloe Zhao, actor Stellan Skarsgård, Irish-Ethiopian actor Ruth Negga, Belgian director Laura Wandel, Chilean director Diego Céspedes, Ivorian-American actor Isaach de Bankolé, and Scottish screenwriter Paul Laverty.
Demi Moore Shares Insights
At the opening press conference, Moore expressed her excitement: “I feel tremendously honoured to be here. It’s such a beautiful experience… surrounded by cinema and the love of cinema.” She reflected on her past visit as a guest, adding, “To be sitting here today, I am really, really tremendously honoured.”
Addressing AI in filmmaking, Moore urged collaboration: “AI is here, and so to fight it is a battle that we will lose. To find ways in which we can work with it… is a more valuable path.” She emphasized, “What it can never replace is what true art comes from… the soul. It comes from the spirit of each and every one of us.”
Honorary Palme d’Or for Peter Jackson
The festival will present filmmaker Peter Jackson with an honorary Palme d’Or for his visionary work blending blockbusters and auteur films. Jackson called it “one of the greatest privileges of my career,” recalling his first Cannes visit in 1988 to sell Bad Taste and his 2002 return for The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring. “This festival has always celebrated bold, visionary cinema,” he stated.
The 79th Cannes Film Festival runs from May 12 to 23.
