Jury members for the 2026 [1] Cannes Film Festival attended the annual handprint and signing ceremony on Wednesday, May 20, 2026 [2].
The ceremony serves as a permanent record of the individuals tasked with judging the year's cinematic entries. By immortalizing their prints, the festival preserves the legacy of the jury's composition and their specific contributions to the event's history [1].
Among the participants were actors Demi Moore, Ruth Negga, and Stellan Skarsgård. The group also included directors Chloé Zhao and Park Chan-wook, who joined other jury members in the tradition on the French Riviera [1].
The event is a longstanding tradition in Cannes, France. It allows the festival to maintain a physical archive of the artists and filmmakers who have shaped the competition over the decades [2].
Participants pressed their hands into the casting material and provided signatures to ensure their presence at the 2026 [1] festival is documented for future generations. The ceremony took place amidst the ongoing activities of the festival, which continues to draw global attention to the French Riviera [2].
“The ceremony serves as a permanent record of the individuals tasked with judging the year's cinematic entries.”
The handprint ceremony reinforces the prestige and historical continuity of the Cannes Film Festival. By physically archiving the identities of the jury, the festival transforms a temporary administrative role into a permanent part of cinema history, emphasizing the influence of these specific artists on the 2026 awards cycle.
