Moore, Park Open 79th Cannes Defending Political Cinema as Jury Splits on AI
Updated
Updated · Hollywood Reporter · May 12
Moore, Park Open 79th Cannes Defending Political Cinema as Jury Splits on AI
12 articles · Updated · Hollywood Reporter · May 12
At Cannes’ opening press conference, Demi Moore and jury president Park Chan-wook firmly rejected the idea that political statements distract from films, arguing art and politics should not be separated.
Park said political filmmaking turns into propaganda only when it is not expressed artfully, while promising to judge the 22-film competition without prejudice and with “pure eyes.”
AI quickly became the other major theme: Moore said the industry must learn to work with a technology “here” to stay, but likely is not doing enough to protect itself.
Paul Laverty took a harder line, warning that tech billionaires controlling AI systems and data centers could harm workers, sustainability and democratic oversight.
The 79th festival opened Tuesday evening and runs to May 23, with Park leading a 9-member jury that includes Moore, Chloé Zhao and Stellan Skarsgård.
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Cannes 2026 Sparks Hollywood’s AI Reckoning: Industry Divided Over Integration, Ethics, and the Future of Filmmaking
Overview
At the opening of the 79th Cannes Film Festival in May 2026, jury member Demi Moore sparked a major debate by addressing the role of Artificial Intelligence in Hollywood. She argued that resisting AI is futile and urged the industry to proactively find ways to work with this technology. Moore’s remarks quickly set the tone for broader discussions at the festival, highlighting both the inevitability of AI integration and the uncertainty about whether Hollywood is prepared for its challenges. Her call for collaboration over confrontation has become a catalyst for ongoing conversations about the future of filmmaking.