CANNES, France, May 12 (Xinhua) -- The 79th edition of the Cannes Film Festival opened Tuesday in the southern French resort town of Cannes, with a selection of 22 films vying for the coveted Palme d'Or.
Peter Jackson, the director of "Lord of the Rings," received the honorary Palme d'Or during the opening ceremony. French director Pierre Salvadori's new film "The Electric Kiss" was screened as the festival's opening film later in the evening.
As one of the festival's official sections, the 2026 Cannes Classics will present 21 feature films and three short films, including Chinese director Chen Kaige's acclaimed work "Farewell My Concubine" and Jia Zhangke's "Torino Shadow."
The festival's nine-member jury is chaired by Park Chan-Wook, making him the first South Korean director to serve in the role.
The festival will run until May 23.
