Cannes Film Festival 2026 Expands Lineup with Gray's 'Paper Tiger' and Godrèche's Directorial Debut

The Cannes Film Festival has unveiled additional selections for its 79th edition in 2026, strengthening the official programme with several notable acquisitions across multiple categories.

James Gray's crime drama 'Paper Tiger' has been added to the Competition section. The New York-centered film features an ensemble cast including Adam Driver, Miles Teller, and Scarlett Johansson, marking Gray's sixth competitive entry at the prestigious festival. Neon has secured North American distribution rights for the project.

In the Un Certain Regard sidebar, the festival welcomed Judith Godrèche's feature directorial debut 'A Girl's Story.' The acclaimed actress previously directed the short film 'Moi Aussi,' which opened the same section at Cannes in 2023. Godrèche has emerged as a prominent voice in France's #MeToo movement since publicly disclosing sexual abuse allegations in 2024 against directors Benoît Jacquot and Jacques Doillon.

Additional Un Certain Regard Selections

The Un Certain Regard section received further strengthening with three additional entries. 'Victorian Psycho,' directed by Zachary Wigon, is a gothic horror-thriller featuring Maika Monroe, Jason Isaacs, Thomasin McKenzie, and Ruth Wilson. Produced by Anton and Traffic in partnership with Anonymous Content, Bleecker Street holds U.S. distribution rights.

'Titanic Ocean' from Greek filmmaker Konstantina Kotzamani presents a coming-of-age narrative set within a Japanese boarding school populated by professional mermaids. The project originates from Athens-based Homemade Films, produced in collaboration with Wunderlust, Defilm, Manny Films, Frida Films, and Happinet Phantom Studios.

Laetitia Masson's family drama 'Ulysse' will serve as the section's closing film.

Festival Premiere and Special Screenings

Additional programme entries span multiple categories. 'Lucy Lost,' directed by Olivier Clert, is a family film adapted from Michael Morpurgo's 2014 novel 'Listen to the Moon.' The War Horse author's work forms the basis for this Cannes Premiere selection.

'Ashes,' directed by Diego Luna, constitutes a Spanish-language drama drawing from Brenda Navarro's acclaimed novel 'Eating Ashes.' The cast includes Anna Díaz, Adriana Paz, Laura Gómez, and Charlie Rowe. The film appears in the Special Screenings category.

Festival Dates

The 79th Cannes Film Festival will operate from May 12-23, 2026.