Following its own tradition, the Cannes Film festival poster 2026 dips into the past once again with a great shot taken during the filming of Ridley Scott’s masterpiece, Thelma & Louise.
It shows actresses Geena Davis and Susan Sarandon sitting in an open-top car in the desert – presumably towards the end of the shooting.
The accompanying PR is typically admirative: “These two unforgettable fighters toppled the table and shattered some cinematic and political stereotypes; they embodied absolute freedom and unwavering friendship; they showed the way to emancipation when it becomes vital. To remember it today is to celebrate the progress made, without ignoring what remains to be done.”
Praise, but for what?
The reactions on social media talk of icons of cinema and generally gush about the two actresses and the movie. But what about the poster as a poster? The photo is certainly striking and evocative (even though it is not a shot from the actual movie). But several people have pointed out that the layout is timid to say the least. The text is scrambled presumably to give it some character.
For my part, I can only repeat what I have said in previous years (Why do Cannes posters all look like ads for Chopard?): for a festival that celebrates pioneering cinema and storytelling, the repeated choice of vintage photos is odd.
Photo: Roland Neveu on the set of Thelma & Louise (Ridley Scott, 1991) © MGM Studios / Design © Hartland Villa.