Sorogoyen's 'L'Être aimé' Competes for Palme d'Or at Cannes 2026

Rodrigo Sorogoyen's film 'L'Être aimé' (The Beloved) is in competition for the Palme d'Or at the 2026 Cannes Film Festival. The film stars Javier Bardem as Esteban Martínez, a twice-Oscar-winning Spanish director who returns to Spain after 15 years in New York to shoot a film in the Sahara and reconcile with his abandoned daughter Emilia, played by Victoria Luengo. The narrative parallels Spain's colonial history in Western Sahara with the father's personal abandonment. Sorogoyen employs extreme close-ups on eyes, inspired by Velázquez, to explore guilt, memory, and power dynamics. The film includes black-and-white flashbacks and a meta-cinematic structure where the on-set shoot becomes a theater of domination. Bardem, born in the Canary Islands opposite Western Sahara, brings personal resonance to the role. Sorogoyen, known for 'As Bestas' (2022), continues his signature psychological tension. The film premiered on May 17, 2026.