Who are on the 2026 Cannes Film Festival jury headed by Park Chan-wook?

CANNES, France – South Korean director Park Chan-wook will lead a panel of eight top industry figures as jury president for the 79th Cannes Film Festival, tasked with selecting one of 22 films for the prestigious Palme d’Or.

Park takes over from French actor Juliette Binoche, bringing his signature style of bold and often violent storytelling to the festival. Best known for his 2004 Cannes entry Oldboy, which earned second-place honors, Park has been credited with introducing Korean cinema to Western audiences. Following his latest black comedy thriller No Other Choice, he is now working on a Western featuring Pedro Pascal and Matthew McConaughey.

The nine jury members for this year’s festival include:

Demi Moore – The U.S. actor returns to Cannes after her body horror film The Substance earned her first Oscar nomination. Known for iconic 1990s films G.I. Jane and Striptease, Moore joins the jury to bring her wealth of experience to the selection process.

Ruth Negga – Acclaimed both on screen and stage, Negga earned an Oscar nomination for her role in the 2016 Cannes entry Loving, a film chronicling the U.S. legal battle over interracial marriage. She has also received Tony and Emmy nods for her work in theater and television.

Laura Wandel – The Belgian director and screenwriter is a familiar face at Cannes, having showcased her first feature Playground in the Un Certain Regard section in 2021. She is currently developing her second feature, Adam’s Sake, during a festival residency.

Chloé Zhao – The Chinese-born director joins the jury following a year of critical acclaim for her Shakespeare drama Hamnet, starring Paul Mescal. Zhao previously won Oscars for Best Picture and Director for Nomadland in 2021.

Diego Céspedes – The Chilean director gained attention after winning the top prize in the festival’s Un Certain Regard section last year for his debut feature The Mysterious Gaze of the Flamingo, which also screened at Sundance, San Sebastián, and Toronto film festivals.

Paul Laverty – The Irish-Scottish screenwriter is a longtime collaborator with British filmmaker Ken Loach, penning 14 films together. Two of their collaborations, The Wind That Shakes the Barley and I, Daniel Blake, won Palme d’Or prizes in 2006 and 2016.

Isaach de Bankolé – The César Award-winning actor has built an international career in blockbusters like Black Panther and Casino Royale. He will appear later this year in Denis Villeneuve’s third installment of the Dune series.

Stellan Skarsgård – The versatile Swedish actor, who starred in last year’s Cannes award-winning film Sentimental Value, brings decades of experience from film, television, and stage. His notable works include Pirates of the Caribbean, the ABBA musical Mamma Mia!, and the Dune films.

The 79th Cannes Film Festival promises to deliver an exciting slate of films, guided by a jury of diverse voices and accomplished artists from across the globe.

-Reporting by Miranda Murray; Editing by Alexandra Hudson/Reuters