Renowned Director Payal Kapadia has been appointed President of the Jury for the 65th edition of Cannes Critics' Week, marking a significant moment. Her selection comes on the heels of the remarkable success of her film All We Imagine as Light. The film made history in 2024 by winning the Grand Prix, one of the highest honours ever received by an Indian film at Cannes.
Cannes Critics Week
The Critics' Week, which takes place from May 13 to 21, 2026, alongside the main festival, aims at discovering emerging voices in world cinema. It is one of the most respected parallel sections of the Cannes Film Festival.
A statement by Critics' Week said, "Payal, over the course of just six short and feature films, crafted a body of work where poetry contrasts with her unflinching political take on her country. This duality underpins the power of her cinema, a universe that summons all forms to convey folk myths, and bring to the fore invisible lives, class struggle, and the realities of women's lives. "
As Jury President, she will be joined by a talented international jury that brings together voices from across the globe. The panel includes Quebecois actor Théodore Pellerin, French singer-songwriter Oklou, Ghanaian-British producer Ama Ampadu, and Thai journalist and Bangkok World Film Festival director Donsaron Kovitvanitcha. Together, this eclectic group will watch, discuss, and celebrate bold new films, honouring fresh storytelling and emerging talent from around the world.
This year, the Critics' Week section will showcase 11 feature films, out of which 7 have been selected for the main competition. These films were chosen from a total of 1,050 submissions. In addition to the feature films, 13 short films will also be screened. These shorts were picked from nearly 2,400 entries.
Supporting the first projects of filmmakers, Payal Kapadia had said, "At a time where independent cinema is being eroded in every country, supporting the first works of filmmakers is almost a resistance to the market forces."
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"Film criticism is one of the key components of the independent and arthouse film ecosystem. The first films are often freer, more daring and fearless, having an individual voice and to champion those is absolutely essential. First films are also fragile and to be nurtured in a section like Critics Week, helps them blossom amongst already established filmmaker's work," added Kapadia.
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