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9 April 2026

Austrian Film 'Gentle Monster' Among Cannes 2026 Selection

People in a movie theater watch a magical, glowing film strip coming from the screen.

The official selection of the 2026 Cannes Film Festival was announced today. Among the films in the programme are three productions with Austrian participation: Gentle Monster by Marie Kreutzer features a prominent cast that includes Léa Seydoux and Catherine Deneuve, Das geträumte Abenteuer by Valeska Grisebach, and Everytime by Sandra Wollner.

One of these films, Gentle Monster, also draws attention for its collaboration with a well-known costume designer. The costumes are created by Monika Buttinger, who previously worked on Corsage and Rubikon. She received the Austrian Film Award for Best Costume Design for Corsage and has been recognised multiple times at the Diagonale. Since 2023, she has been teaching at the Film Academy Vienna.

Opening Film Already Announced

The opening film of the festival, La Vénus Électrique by Pierre Salvadori, had already been confirmed earlier this month. The film will be screened out of competition. Costume design for the opening film is by Virginie Montel, known for her work for movies like Emilia Pérez, Public Enemy No. 1, and A Prophet. Her experience suggests a strong visual identity for the 1920s Paris backdrop. Cannes' main award remains the Palme d'Or, which is presented to one of the films in the official competition.

International Selection

Beyond the Austrian contributions, the selection includes new works by a wide range of international directors. These include Amarga Navidad by Pedro Almodóvar and Parallel Tales by Asghar Farhadi. Both films involve established costume designers. Amarga Navidad features costumes by Paco Delgado, a two-time Academy Award nominee known for his work on Les Misérables and The Danish Girl. Parallel Tales includes costume design by Khadija Zeggaï, who has gained recognition for her work on the film Passages.

The 79th Cannes Film Festival will take place from 12 to 23 May 2026.


Image: A cinema audience watches a magical, glowing film reel unspool from the screen towards them, displaying various movie scenes. Illustration: © Fashion.at, generated with Google AI Studio.