At the jury press conference on the opening day of the Cannes Film Festival, member Paul Laverty expressed his solidarity for those who are blacklisted.
Member of the jury Scottish screenwriter Paul Laverty reacts during a press conference of the members of the jury at the 79th edition of the Cannes Film Festival in Cannes, southern France on May 12, 2026. (Photo by Ian LANGSDON / AFP) (AFP)
Why jury member lashed out at Hollywood?
Interestingly, the image of Susan Sarandon adorns the festival as its official poster this year. The image is taken from the film Thelma and Louise, a cult Hollywood release that also starred Geena Davis.
At the end of the press conference, Paul said, “Can I just leave one tiny thing? The Cannes Film Festival has a wonderful poster. Yes, and isn’t it fascinating to see some of them like Susan Sarandon, Javier Bardem, Mark Ruffalo blacklisted because of their views in opposing the murder of women and children in Gaza? Shame on Hollywood people who do that. My respect and total solidarity to them. They’re the best of us, I look up to them.”
Mounted police officers patrol in front of the Palais du Festival during the opening of the 79th edition of the Cannes Film Festival in Cannes, southern France on May 12, 2026. (Photo by Ian LANGSDON / AFP) (AFP)
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Susan Sarandon had made headlines a few months ago for revealing how she was blacklisted for her views. She was speaking in Spain ahead of receiving the International Goya award in recognition of her career. She said: “I was fired by my agency, specifically for marching and speaking out about Gaza, for asking for a ceasefire.” Sarandon is an Academy Award-winning actor.
The Cannes Film Festival will take place from May 12 to May 23. South Korean filmmaker Park Chan-wook has been named president of the jury for the main competition. He is best known for his film Oldboy. His last directorial release was No Other Choice in 2025.
No Indian film has been selected at Cannes this year. Only the Malayalam film Amma Ariyan will be screened as part of the Cannes Classics section. Film Heritage Foundation will bring the 4K restoration of the John Abraham classic to screen. Meanwhile, Alia Bhatt, Aishwarya Rai and Tara Sutaria are some of the Indian stars who are set to make a splash on the red carpet.
Santanu Das is a Senior Content Producer at Hindustan Times with over 5 years of experience, writing on films, pop culture and film festivals. He has a keen interest in writing about South Asian independent films and has covered several film festivals, including Sundance and CPH: Docx. He also brings a sharp perspective to the monthly column called The Fault in Our Stars, where he writes about a recent film/series and what stops the ‘good’ from becoming ‘great’. A gold medalist from Banaras Hindu University, Santanu completed his postgraduate studies in English from Jadavpur University. He is also a Rotten Tomatoes-certified film critic. When not watching films or speaking to celebrities, Santanu can be found reading a book. Some of his favourite films are Aparajito, Ponyo and The Double Life of Veronique. His favourite books include The Corrections, The God of Small Things and A Room of One’s Own. Santanu continues to write passionately about films and celebrity culture. He brings a relatable, as well as critically informed, lens to entertainment and culture for a wide audience. Find him on LinkedIn: santanudasfilm Instagram: @santupechaRead More
