On the red carpet, the Cannes Film Festival website explains that “for decency reasons, nudity is prohibited…as well as in any other area of the festival.” Guidelines further dictate that “voluminous outfits, in particular those with a large train that hinder the proper flow of traffic of guests and complicate seating in the theater, are not permitted.” Fret not, these rules still leave plenty of room for creativity.
What does the Cannes Film Festival mean for the Oscar race?
The Cannes Film Festival has introduced the world to future best-picture nominees including Parasite and Pulp Fiction, but just as often platformed movies that will ultimately be too edgy for Oscar. Earlier this year, Jennifer Lawrence remained on the best-actress bubble for 2025 Cannes title Die, My Love, and Ari Aster’s divisive COVID-era Western, Eddington, also failed to garner any Academy support.
Nevertheless, the Cannes-to-Oscars success rate has been strong in recent years, including at Cannes festivals in 2023 and 2024. In each of those years, at least two Cannes competition films were nominated for best picture—including the lightning rod that was Emilia Perez at the 77th Cannes Festival in 2024. And the Palme d’Or winner has been nominated for best picture four times since 2019, winning twice for Parasite and Anora. “Playing in competition, seriously, it’s just like having a dream come true twice,” Baker told Vanity Fair at the time, referencing Anora coming after his film Red Rocket’s own competition launch in 2021.
As in prior seasons (set in Hawaii, Sicily, and Thailand), the fourth installment of HBO’s hit anthology series is headed to another luxe location—this time the French Riviera of Cannes. Season four, featuring a cast that includes Chris Messina, Rosie Perez, and Laura Dern, will follow the characters as they navigate “the ups and downs of the festival and the pain of being here and the love and excitement of being here,” series producer David Bernad said at the Canneseries festival in April, as reported by Variety. “When we located the show at the Cannes Film Festival specifically, this idea of fame popped up,” he continued. “Who has the world’s attention, who are the people that can grab the world’s attention, who are the plus-one in a relationship, who’s the person that has that power—and how that shapes a dynamic.”
For as integral as the Cannes Film Festival is to the events of season four, production won’t commence until the Croisette is vacant. Instead, according to Variety, the White Lotus production team “will re-create Cannes in the days immediately after it wraps, using the Palais des Festivals, the red carpet and surrounding infrastructure to stage its own version of the festival.”
