Payal Kapadia to Preside Over 2026 Cannes Critics’ Week Jury: A New Era for Indian Cinema!
In a major win for global arthouse cinema, acclaimed Indian
filmmaker Payal Kapadia has been appointed as the Jury President
for the 65th edition of Cannes Critics’ Week (Semaine de la Critique).
The announcement, made on April 22, 2026, marks a full-circle moment for
the director, who has become one of the most significant voices in contemporary
film.
Kapadia will lead a distinguished international panel at the
festival sidebar, which runs from May 13 to May 21, 2026, dedicated to
discovering the next generation of filmmaking talent.
The Powerhouse Jury of 2026
Kapadia will preside over a diverse jury tasked with
awarding the Ami Paris Grand Prize for best feature and the Rising
Star Award. The 2026 panel includes:
- Théodore
Pellerin: Renowned Quebecois actor.
- Oklou:
French singer-songwriter and composer.
- Ama
Ampadu: Ghanaian-British film producer.
- Donsaron
Kovitvanitcha: Journalist and Director of the Bangkok World Film
Festival.
A Remarkable Cannes Journey
Kapadia’s appointment as Jury President is the latest
chapter in her record-breaking relationship with the French Riviera:
- 2021:
Her debut feature documentary, A Night of Knowing Nothing,
won the L’Oeil d’Or (Golden Eye) for Best Documentary at the
Directors' Fortnight.
- 2024:
She made history with All We Imagine as Light, becoming the
first Indian director to win the prestigious Grand Prix in 30
years.
- 2025:
She served on the Main Competition Jury alongside filmmakers like
Park Chan-wook, helping award the Palme d'Or to Jafar Panahi.
"At a time where independent cinema is being eroded
in every country, supporting the first works of filmmakers is almost a
resistance to the market forces," Kapadia said in an official
statement, emphasizing the importance of the Critics' Week platform.
What is Cannes Critics’ Week?
Founded in 1962 by the French Syndicate of Cinema Critics, Critics’
Week is the oldest parallel section of the Cannes Film Festival. It focuses
exclusively on first and second feature films, having previously discovered
legends like Ken Loach, Wong Kar-wai, and Guillermo del Toro.
By heading this section, Kapadia moves from being a
"discovery" herself to the "champion" of new, fearless
voices in the industry.
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