The 2026 Cannes Film Festival has found its opening film. On May 12, Pierre Salvadori's Electric Venus will officially launch the 79th edition on the Croisette. Starring Anaïs Demoustier and Pio Marmaï, the film will also feature Gilles Lellouche and Vimala Pons for a highly anticipated evening, marked by a deliberate return of French cinema to the opening slot.
A period comedy to kick off the Croisette
Presented out of competition, as is tradition, the film will have its world premiere at the Grand Théâtre Lumière following the opening ceremony hosted by Eye Haïdara. It will be released simultaneously in French cinemas on the same day, allowing the public to discover the film at the same time as the festivalgoers.
Electric Venus is the 11th film by Pierre Salvadori, known for his comedies blending humor and melancholy. For the first time, the director ventures into period drama, set in 1928 Paris. The story follows Antoine Balestro, a painter suffering from writer's block since his wife's death. His attempt to communicate with her through a fortune teller triggers a hoax perpetrated by a carnival worker, Suzanne, which gradually disrupts his daily life.
A solid cast, faithful to Salvadori's universe
For this project, Pierre Salvadori surrounds himself with actors he knows well. Pio Marmaï reunites with the filmmaker for a fourth collaboration, while Anaïs Demoustier and Gilles Lellouche, Cannes regulars in recent years, complete this central quartet alongside Vimala Pons and Gustave Kervern.
In a press release from the festival, the film is described as a “delightfully burlesque romantic comedy,” true to the director's recurring themes of pretense, lies, and personal quest. Pierre Salvadori himself welcomed this honor, stating in the same press release that Cannes “celebrates directing, audacity, and auteurs,” adding that he was “very happy” to open this new edition.
Following Partir un jour en 2025, this opening confirms the festival's desire to showcase popular French productions, capable of bringing together both the general public and film professionals.
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