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. The Hollywood legends brought timeless elegance, shifting focus from recent model-heavy appearances.
Red Carpet Highlights
Joan Collins radiated sophistication in a pristine white gown accented by a sparkling diamond necklace and sleek black gloves. She arrived alongside her husband, Percy Gibson, 61.
Jane Fonda captivated in a floor-length black sequin gown, showcasing her enduring six-decade career with effortless poise.
Demi Moore, 63, exuded grace in a strapless white sequin gown paired with a bold diamond necklace. Other stars shone brightly: Poppy Delevingne, 40, in a sheer lace and velvet dress; Maura Higgins, 35, in a strapless black-and-white gown with a dramatic back bow; Heidi Klum, 52, in a sheer nude dress featuring pink floral details; Caroline Daur, 31, in a striking red-and-black feathered strapless gown; and Kimberley Garner in a vibrant pink floral dress.
Additional arrivals included Gillian Anderson, Michelle Rodriguez, Riley Keough, Halsey, James Franco with Izabel Pakzad, Kelly Rutherford, Hofit Golan, Carlos Sainz with Rebecca Donaldson, and Emma Thynn at a Vanity Fair lunch.
Jury and Festival Lineup
The opening featured The Electric Kiss, a romantic comedy-drama directed by Pierre Salvadori starring Pio Marmaï, Anaïs Demoustier, Gilles Lellouche, and Vimala Pons.
South Korean filmmaker Park Chan-wook leads the nine-member jury, joined by Demi Moore, Hamnet director Chloé Zhao, actor Stellan Skarsgård, Ruth Negga, Laura Wandel, Diego Céspedes, Isaach de Bankolé, and Paul Laverty.
At the opening press conference, Demi Moore expressed her excitement: “I feel tremendously honoured to be here. It’s such a beautiful experience surrounded by cinema and those who share that passion.” She added, “I feel like a little kid getting to play a grown-up.”
Addressing AI in filmmaking, Moore advocated collaboration: “AI is here, so fighting it is a battle we’ll lose. What it can’t replace is the soul and spirit in true art.”
Honorary Palme d’Or for Peter Jackson
Organizers will present filmmaker Peter Jackson with an honorary Palme d’Or for his visionary blend of blockbusters and auteur works. Jackson called it “one of the greatest privileges of my career,” recalling his first Cannes visit in 1988 to sell Bad Taste and return in 2002 for The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring.
The festival runs from May 12 to 23.
