Pierre Salvadori’s romantic and burlesque comedy, “La Vénus Électrique,” has been selected as the opening film for the 79th Cannes Film Festival. Set in the Roaring Twenties, this highly anticipated film will have its world premiere on May 12, 2026, marking a prestigious milestone in the French director’s extensive career.+4
Synopsis: A Spirited Masquerade
The story takes place in Paris in 1928. Antoine Balestro, a prominent young painter, finds himself paralyzed by grief following the death of his wife. His desperate gallerist, Armand, watches his protégé’s decline helplessly.+1
During a drunken evening, Antoine attempts to contact his deceased wife through a psychic. Instead, he hears Suzanne, a poor fairground worker who had secretly slipped into the caravan to steal food. Suzanne turns out to be a brilliant fraud and, with Armand’s help, begins hosting fake séances. As Antoine slowly recovers his artistic inspiration, the situation grows complicated when Suzanne falls in love with the man she is deceiving.+3
Key Cast and Crew
- Director: Pierre Salvadori.
- Lead Cast: Pio Marmaï, Anaïs Demoustier, and Gilles Lellouche.
- Writers: Benjamin Charbit, Benoît Graffin, and Pierre Salvadori.
- Original Idea: Rebecca Zlotowski and Robin Campillo.
79th Cannes Film Festival Highlights
- Festival Dates: The festival will run from May 12 to May 23, 2026.
- Opening Ceremony: French actress Eye Haïdara will host the opening night.
- Jury President: Korean director Park Chan-wook will preside over the Official Competition jury.
- Honorary Awards: Barbra Streisand and Peter Jackson will both be awarded an Honorary Palme d’Or this year