At the 65th Cannes Critics Week of 2026, Film Festival, Indian Filmmaker Payal Kapadia as the Jury President . Running parallel to the main festival is the prestigious sidebar section which focuses entirely on the debut directors with their new features. 


The Historic Milestone  


Payal Kapadia whose film, ‘ All We Imagine As Light’ won the Grand Prix at the 2024, the 65 Cannes Film Festival,  she made it a history by becoming the first Indian filmmaker to have held this presidency.   At the Critics Week,  which started from May 13th and will be on till May 21st, Payal Kapadia will lead as an international jury. The Panel is tasked with evaluation 11 more competition films chosen over 1050 submissions for the award-winning prizes like the Ami Paris Grand Prize. 


Besides Payal Kapadia as the Jury  member, others who are joining are Theodore Pellerin a Quebecois actor , Oklou a French Singer Song writer,  Ama Ampadu Ghanajan British producer, and Donsaron Kovitvanitcha a journalist and Bangkok World Film Festival Director.