Frémaux Defends Wim Wenders, Faces Gender Critique
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- Thierry Frémaux held his traditional press conference on Monday, the eve of the Cannes opening ceremony, fielding questions on AI, Oscar rules, selfies, gender parity, and the Berlinale backlash.
- Thierry Frémaux defended director Wim Wenders after the Berlinale controversy, stating that politics belongs on screen and that Cannes sees political questions as the artists’ voices.
- Thierry Frémaux said filmmakers in the Official Selection are free to express or not express political views, and that it is not the jury’s or festival management’s role to intervene.
- Cannes had only five women‑directed films among the 22 Palme d’Or contenders (23%), a drop from seven in 2025, prompting criticism from Le Collectif 50/50 for alleged “feminism washing” tied to the Thelma & Louise poster.
- Berlinale achieved near gender parity with nine women‑directed films among its 22 Golden Bear contenders, contrasting Cannes’ lower female representation.
Why it matters: Cannes’ 23% female director share, down from 2025, intensifies Le Collectif 50/50’s push for gender balance, while Frémaux’s defense of Wim Wenders signals a hands‑off stance that gives filmmakers leeway but fuels debate over the festival’s political role.
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