Cannes completes its jury for the 79th edition: Diego Céspedes and Chloé Zhao among the chosen

The Cannes Film Festival has confirmed the full jury lineup for its 79th edition, set to take place in May 2026. The list, headed by South Korean filmmaker Park Chan-wook, brings together arthouse figures and internationally recognized names.

Joining Park Chan-wook — director of films such as Oldboy and Decision to Leave — are actress Demi Moore, director Chloé Zhao, actress Ruth Negga, Swedish actor Stellan Skarsgård, screenwriter and director Paul Laverty, Belgian filmmaker Laura Wandel, and actor Isaach De Bankolé.

The jury also includes Chilean director and screenwriter Diego Céspedes, who appeared at the festival last year with The Mysterious Gaze of the Flamingo. His inclusion strengthens the jury’s geographical diversity and underscores the growing presence of Latin American cinema at the French event.

The announcement, however, came with a notable absence: Australian actor Jacob Elordi, known for the series Euphoria, will not be able to participate due to an ankle injury that reportedly prevented him from traveling to the French Riviera, according to Page Six.

Elsewhere in the festival, Spanish director Carla Simón will chair the short film and CINEF jury, adding another Iberian presence to the event’s structure.

The jury’s composition reflects a balance Cannes has maintained in recent years: a mix of globally recognized figures and filmmakers rooted in the arthouse tradition. Zhao, who moves fluidly between independent productions and major studios, and Laverty, a longtime collaborator of Ken Loach, embody that crossover. Moore and Skarsgård, meanwhile, bring a star power dimension, with careers that have also ventured well beyond mainstream cinema.

With this jury in place, Cannes has finalized the team responsible for awarding the Palme d’Or and the festival’s top prizes — in an edition that, as always, will aim to balance artistic prestige with global reach.