The festival is a celebration of cinema and a frantic trade show all at once. After 25 years, I can’t help but go backNothing prepares you for the shock that is the Cannes film festival: the adrenaline, the fatigue, the elation and the emotion, but also the hunger, the anger, the magic and the ridicule. For young cinephiles, and for almost everybody who works in the film industry, it is the mecca of cinema and has been so for nearly eight decades. Anyone going for the first time this week, as I did 25 years ago, should not listen to the old grognards – Cannes’ battle-worn veterans – who will lament that the festival has become an abominable circus and swear this year will be their last. It is a circus, and you can bet they will be back for as long as their knees can take it. For there is nothing quite like it.Born to counteract Benito Mussolini’s Venice film festival, its first edition was planned for September 1939, but Adolf Hitler had other plans. The previous year, under pressure from Berlin and Rome, the Venice film festival’s top prize, the Coppa Mussolini, was handed to Leni Riefenstahl’s propaganda film Olympia, prompting the French, British and American delegates to walk out. Hence Cannes, conceived as the festival of the “free world”. More than 80 years later, for all its sins, it has remained faithful to that founding promise.Agnès Poirier is a political commentator, writer and critic for the British, American and European press Continue reading...
Cannes is a beautiful, gruelling circus. I wouldn’t quit it for anything | Agnès Poirier
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Story Timeline
Mon 07:12 - La Libre (BE)
Could rising rates be fatal to some real estate values?
Tue 04:39 - La Libre (BE)
DIRECT- War in the Middle East: Iran denounces a “serious violation of its sovereignty”
Tue 07:43 - La Libre (BE)
War in the Middle East and strike: what impact on Brussels Airport in March?
Tue 15:09 - La Libre (BE)
“It’s a total reversal of perception. And a huge risk for the United States”
Tue 15:55 - Le Figaro
Growth, inflation, deficit... The government reviews its 2026 forecasts and remains cautious about the war in the Middle East
Tue 16:32 - Le Figaro
European stock markets end in the green, wanting to believe in the resolution of the conflict in the Middle East
Wed 04:46 - La Libre (BE)
DIRECT- Conflict in the Middle East: “The war is almost over” according to Trump, Vance explains why an agreement has not yet been reached
Wed 04:49 - Le Figaro
War in the Middle East: Russia says it is ready to “compensate” for China’s energy resources deficit
Wed 16:25 - La Libre (BE)
“The market believes that the war is over”
Thu 04:52 - La Libre (BE)
DIRECT- Conflict in the Middle East: Donald Trump announces an unprecedented dialogue between Israel and Lebanon
Thu 06:40 - Le Figaro
War in the Middle East: who does France depend on for its oil and gas supplies?
Thu 06:52 - La Libre (BE)
TotalEnergies maintains production despite losses in the Middle East
Fri 04:47 - La Libre (BE)
LIVE - War in the Middle East: Lebanon denounces "acts of aggression" by Israel in violation of the ceasefire
Fri 08:14 - Le Figaro
War in the Middle East: in which countries have fuel prices increased the most since the start of the conflict?
Fri 09:00 - Le Figaro
War in the Middle East: towards a rise in the Livret A rate in the coming months?
Fri 10:13 - La Libre (BE)
With rising rates, leverage is no longer the magic potion of real estate
Fri 12:00 - Le Figaro
War in the Middle East: how to counter soaring gas prices?
Sat 05:01 - La Libre (BE)
DIRECT- War in the Middle East: Iran claims to have closed the Strait of Hormuz again due to the US blockade
Sun 06:05 - La Libre (BE)
LIVE - War in the Middle East: Iranian Parliament Speaker says final deal remains 'far away'
Mon 04:32 - La Libre (BE)
LIVE - War in the Middle East: an Israeli soldier at the heart of a scandal in Lebanon
Mon 05:07 - La Libre (BE)
Energy prices: oil and gas soar following the latest events in the Middle East
Mon 14:52 - Le Figaro
Fuels: last week, average prices fell for the first time since the start of the conflict in the Middle East
Mon 16:41 - Le Figaro
An additional 3.6 billion euros in 2026... How the war in the Middle East is increasing the French debt burden
Mon 17:32 - Le Figaro
Fuel, food, groceries... Should we expect a lasting and widespread return of inflation?
Mon 18:20 - Le Figaro
Slashed prices, deserted beaches, hotels closed for renovation… In Dubai, tourism at a standstill due to the conflict in the Middle East
Tue 04:56 - La Libre (BE)
LIVE - War in the Middle East: Iran ready to play "new cards on the battlefield" if the war resumes
Tue 15:41 - La Libre (BE)
Another problem emerges from the war in the Middle East: "Chinese overcapacity is very serious"
Wed 04:51 - La Libre (BE)
LIVE - War in the Middle East: Trump extends truce with Iran
Wed 12:35 - DW
Russia to block Kazakh oil flows to Germany via key pipeline
Wed 12:35 - DW World
Russia to block Kazakh oil flows to Germany via key pipeline
Wed 13:44 - Le Figaro
War in the Middle East: Russia to stop deliveries of Kazakh oil to Germany on May 1
Wed 14:56 - Le Figaro
War in the Middle East: 3 French soldiers killed and 7 wounded since the start of the conflict
Thu 04:06 - Le Monde
LIVE, Middle East war: US military says it has ordered 31 ships to turn around since blockade began
Thu 04:58 - La Libre (BE)
DIRECT - War in the Middle East: the highest civilian official in the US Navy fired by Trump?
Fri 05:03 - La Libre (BE)
LIVE – War in the Middle East: ceasefire extended for three weeks, rockets fired into Israel
Sat 05:24 - La Libre (BE)
LIVE - War in the Middle East: American envoys expected this Saturday in Pakistan for new talks
Sun 07:12 - La Libre (BE)
DIRECT – War in the Middle East: an Iranian envoy expected in Pakistan despite the Americans’ false start
Mon 04:33 - La Libre (BE)
LIVE - War in the Middle East: Vladimir Putin will receive the head of Iranian diplomacy
Mon 04:50 - Le Figaro
LIVE - War in the Middle East: the head of Iranian diplomacy arrived in Russia to meet Putin
Mon 21:01 - Le Figaro
The Middle East dizzy while waiting for the next day
Tue 04:56 - La Libre (BE)
LIVE - War in the Middle East: the American army arrests a boat suspected of heading towards an Iranian port
Tue 07:51 - La Libre (BE)
“Oil prices are currently trading at a level around 50% higher than before the conflict”
Tue 09:56 - Le Figaro
War in the Middle East: an LNG tanker loaded with LNG crosses the Strait of Hormuz, a first since the start of the conflict
Tue 15:30 - Le Figaro
The Fed and the ECB navigate the war in the Middle East
Wed 04:59 - La Libre (BE)
LIVE - War in the Middle East: Donald Trump spoke of a blockade of "several months" with oil sector bosses
Wed 21:00 - La Libre (BE)
War in the Middle East: Largest US aircraft carrier leaves the Middle East, according to the Washington Post
Wed 22:03 - La Libre (BE)
War in the Middle East: Wall Street mixed while oil jumps
Thu 04:42 - La Libre (BE)
LIVE - War in the Middle East: Donald Trump threatens to withdraw American troops from Germany
Thu 06:59 - Le Figaro
Inflation jumped in April, reaching 2.2% over one year according to INSEE
Thu 10:31 - Le Figaro
War in the Middle East: American aircraft carrier USS Gerald Ford returns to port after record deployment of more than 300 days
Fri 06:32 - La Libre (BE)
LIVE – War in the Middle East: Trump is ready to ignore Congress to continue the war
Fri 06:52 - Le Figaro
LIVE - War in the Middle East: Iran activates its air defenses against drones, Trump ready to ignore Congress to continue the conflict
Fri 15:00 - Le Figaro
War in the Middle East: a major shock for the most fragile countries, warn the United Nations
Sat 05:24 - La Libre (BE)
LIVE – War in the Middle East: “The ball is in the United States’ court” according to Iran
Sat 07:42 - Le Figaro
LIVE - War in the Middle East: Donald Trump informs the US Congress that hostilities with Iran are “over”
Sun 06:26 - La Libre (BE)
DIRECT- War in the Middle East: Donald Trump will study an Iranian plan but doubts “it will be acceptable” for Washington
Sun 07:32 - Le Figaro
LIVE – War in the Middle East: Donald Trump will study Iran’s plan, but doubts it is “acceptable”
Mon 05:12 - La Libre (BE)
LIVE – War in the Middle East: an American frigate allegedly attacked in the Strait of Hormuz
Mon 11:38 - Le Figaro
War in the Middle East: “If an American destroyer were sunk by Iran, the conflict would enter another dimension”
Mon 12:41 - Le Figaro
War in the Middle East: the US military denies that one of its ships was hit in the Strait of Hormuz
Mon 14:39 - Le Figaro
War in the Middle East: American military ships entered the Gulf for their escort mission
Mon 15:45 - Le Figaro
Mideast war: South Korean ship 'on fire' after 'explosion'
Tue 08:16 - Le Figaro
“All crew members are safe”: Maersk ship leaves Strait of Hormuz under US escort
Tue 13:08 - The Hill
Maersk says one of its ships passed through strait under US military protection
Tue 16:08 - NYT Europe
Maersk Ship Passed Strait of Hormuz Under U.S. Military Protection
Tue 16:58 - La Libre (BE)
Between declarations and skirmishes, tension does not decrease around Hormuz
Wed 04:25 - Le Figaro
LIVE - War in the Middle East: Trump suspends American operation to escort boats in the Strait of Hormuz, in the hope of an agreement with Iran
Thu 08:36 - Al Jazeera English
French warship moves towards Hormuz for possible defensive mission
Thu 08:50 - Euronews
Maersk profit falls sharply as firm keeps forecast despite Hormuz uncertainty
Fri 11:00 - Washington Examiner
On Iran, Trump is the first American president to hold the line
Sat 09:14 - Al Jazeera English
The war on Iran will likely end in American retreat
Sat 15:43 - Fox News
Angel families plead with leaders to 'choose' American children over protecting illegal immigrants
Sat 16:30 - Euronews
Niger suspends nine French media outlets over alleged threats to public order
Sun 03:06 - The Hill
Poll: 72 percent say there's too much money in American politics
Sun 13:00 - Fox News
'If Wi-Fi went out tomorrow – chaos': American addiction to technology explored on 'Planet Tyrus'
Sun 15:26 - DW World
RSF urges Niger to ditch 'abusive' French media ban
Sun 15:26 - DW All
RSF urges Niger to ditch 'abusive' French media ban
Sun 15:26 - DW Top
RSF urges Niger to ditch 'abusive' French media ban
Mon 02:00 - Politico EU
The far right’s crusade against French cinema
Mon 13:31 - Euronews
French farmers dump manure at TotalEnergies refinery in fuel price protest
Tue 14:34 - France 24
Human hair protects French forests from hungry deer
Tue 15:17 - The Guardian
French film industry at risk from the far right, say actors and directors
Tue 16:16 - Euronews
'Zapper Bolloré': Publishing protest spreads to French cinema at Cannes
Tue 22:01 - La Repubblica (IT)
Cannes opens with “La Vénus électrique”: the film-manifesto of a French cinema that knows how to work as a system
Wed 04:00 - The Guardian
Cannes is a beautiful, gruelling circus. I wouldn’t quit it for anything | Agnès Poirier