ARTFEED — Contemporary Art Intelligence

Cannes Film Festival: Farhadi and Pawlikowski Compete

festival-fair · 2026-05-15

At the Cannes Film Festival, two films premiered in competition: Asghar Farhadi's "Histoires parallèles" and Pawel Pawlikowski's "Fatherland." The red carpet featured Isabelle Huppert, Vincent Cassel, Catherine Deneuve, Sandra Hüller, and Hanns Zischler. Farhadi's film, inspired by Krzysztof Kieślowski's "Decalogue," follows a writer whose life is upended after hiring a male assistant. Pawlikowski's black-and-white film, set during the Cold War, depicts Thomas Mann's return to Germany from U.S. exile with his daughter Erika.

Key facts

  • Two films presented in competition at Cannes: Histoires parallèles and Fatherland.
  • Histoires parallèles directed by Asghar Farhadi.
  • Fatherland directed by Pawel Pawlikowski.
  • Cast includes Isabelle Huppert, Vincent Cassel, Catherine Deneuve, Sandra Hüller, Hanns Zischler.
  • Farhadi won two Oscars for Best International Film.
  • Histoires parallèles inspired by Krzysztof Kieślowski's Decalogue.
  • Fatherland is black-and-white, set during the Cold War.
  • Fatherland follows Thomas Mann's return to Germany from U.S. exile.

Entities

Artists

Institutions

  • Cannes Film Festival

Locations

  • Cannes
  • France
  • Germany
  • United States

Sources