Luxembourg Day group photo at Cannes Film Festival, France;
Credit: MCULT
From Friday 15 to Sunday 17 May 2026, Luxembourg's Minister for Culture, Eric Thill, visited Cannes, France, for the 79th Cannes Film Festival and Film Market.
According to the Ministry of Culture and Film Fund Luxembourg, the minister's visit aimed to support the Grand Duchy's audiovisual sector, strengthen international partnerships and continue discussions with industry associations and professionals present in Cannes.
The 2026 edition highlighted the international visibility and reach of Luxembourg's audiovisual sector. Several co-productions supported by Film Fund Luxembourg were selected in various sections of the festival, while numerous Luxembourg professionals were present at the Film Market and the Immersive Market.
Minister Thill met representatives of Luxembourg's audiovisual sector during the traditional Luxembourg Day at the Luxembourg Pavilion. This meeting brought together professional associations present in Cannes and provided an opportunity to discuss the sector's current challenges, development prospects and opportunities for international cooperation.
During his remarks, the minister emphasised that "Luxembourg's presence in Cannes is further proof of the quality, creativity and international recognition enjoyed by our audiovisual sector today. Despite a demanding national and international context, our professionals continue to demonstrate their ability to develop ambitious, innovative and globally-minded projects."
Minister Thill also reiterated the Luxembourg government's commitment to the audiovisual sector, particularly through the financing law guaranteeing €180 million in support for the sector over four years. He further indicated that adjustments to the Selective Financial Aid rules are underway at Film Fund Luxembourg, aimed at strengthening the Luxembourg artistic and technical contribution to supported productions.
According to the authorities, the minister's visit contributed to promoting Luxembourg's audiovisual sector on the international stage and consolidating Luxembourg's strategic exchanges with European and international partners in the audiovisual, cultural and creative industries.
In this context, Minister Thill participated in the signing of a co-production agreement between Luxembourg and Iceland, aimed at strengthening audiovisual collaboration and encouraging new international co-productions.
Moreover, alongside Quebec's Minister of Culture and Communications, Mathieu Lacombe, Minister Thill acted as an honorary witness at the signing of an agreement between Film Fund Luxembourg and the Société de Développement des Entreprises Culturelles (SODEC). The agreement aims to deepen exchanges between the Luxembourg and Quebec audiovisual industries, encourage the development of joint projects from the earliest stages and strengthen the already close cultural cooperation between the two regions.
At the invitation of his French counterpart, Catherine Pégard, Minister Thill also participated in a working luncheon bringing together several European Union Ministers of Culture to discuss current issues in European audiovisual policy. In addition, the minister visited the Cannes Film Market to meet various international stakeholders from the cultural and creative industries.
This year's Cannes Film Festival featured several co-productions supported by Film Fund Luxembourg, including Dora by July Jung (Les Films Fauves), La Libertad Doble by Lisandro Alonso (Les Films Fauves) and Death Has No Master by Jorge Thielen Armand (Deal Productions), all selected for the Directors' Fortnight, as well as Marie Madeleine by Gessica Généus (Bidibul Productions), presented in the Cannes Premieres section.
The ministerial delegation attended the official screenings of Dora and La Libertad Doble.
