Cannes Film Festival opens as Hollywood blockbusters stay away

• The 79th Cannes Film Festival has commenced on the French Riviera, featuring 12 days of world premieres and culminating on 23 May with the presentation of the prestigious Palme d’Or.
• The festival opened with the French period-comedy The Electric Kiss and an honorary Palme d’Or was awarded to Lord of the Rings director Peter Jackson.
• Hollywood blockbusters are largely absent this year, with Cannes artistic director Thierry Frémaux attributing this to industry reshaping, including Paramount Skydance’s proposed acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery.
• Despite the lack of major studio films, Cannes continues to be a significant platform for Oscar contenders, with distributor Neon backing the past six Palme d’Or winners and having a substantial presence in this year's competition.
• The jury, led by South Korean filmmaker Park Chan-wook and including members like Demi Moore and Chloé Zhao, will decide the awards, while numerous stars such as Kristen Stewart, Barbra Streisand, and Cate Blanchett are expected to attend.