The Cannes Film Festival has a long history of using iconic images from cult movies as the basis for its posters, paying fitting and tender tributes to the history of cinema.
The festival has unveiled its newest poster image, the one film lovers will see everywhere on the Croisette for its 79th edition. This year, it pays tribute to Ridley Scott’s iconic film Thelma & Louise.
The photo by Roland Neveu shows film’s stars Susan Sarandon and Geena Davis on top of their Ford Thunderbird Convertible, and honours the legacy of cinema’s first feminist road movie - which premiered in Cannes on 20 May 1991.
Check it out below:
Cannes Film Festival organizers have praised the film for breaking gender roles and challenging film conventions, explaning that the film continues to maintain relevancy today.
“These two unforgettable fighters turned the tables and shattered a few gender stereotypes, both societal and cinematic; they embodied absolute freedom and unwavering friendship; they showed the way to emancipation when it becomes vital,” the festival said in a statement.
“Remembering this today means celebrating the road already covered, without overlooking what still remains ahead.”
Thelma & Louise became a box office hit in 1991 and went on to score six Oscar nominations including Best Actress for both leads. It won Best Original Screenplay for Callie Khouri.
The 2026 Cannes Film Festival runs from 12 – 23 May, with South Korean director Park Chan-wook heading the jury. Pierre Salvadori’s The Electric Kiss opens this year’s festival.
