Cannes 2026: Isaach de Bankolé in Jury as Competition Features Russian War Film and New Almodóvar

The 79th Cannes Film Festival is in its final stretch, with 22 films competing for the Palme d'Or. On Tuesday, May 19, the competition screened Russian director Andrey Zvyagintsev's 'Minotaure,' which addresses the war in Ukraine and mandatory conscription, filmed in Latvia due to censorship in Russia. Also screened was Pedro Almodóvar's 'Autofiction,' his seventh film vying for the Palme. Ivorian-French actor Isaach de Bankolé serves on the jury, alongside members including Ruth Negga, Chloé Zhao, Park Chan-wook, Stellan Skarsgård, Laure Wandel, and Demi Moore. Bankolé noted his closeness with fellow jurors and his African identity. Romanian director Cristian Mungiu presented 'Fjord,' shot in Norway, exploring a conflict between a Romanian evangelical family and Norway's progressive society. No African films are in competition this year.