Cannes gets ready to kick off its 78th edition amid global tensions

The 78th Cannes Film Festival is set to kick off Tuesday amid growing geopolitical tensions. Filmmakers coming from nearly every corner of the globe to showcase their movies. Cannes, where filmmakers, sales agents and journalists gather from around the world, is the Olympics of the big screen, with its own golden prize, the Palme d’Or, to give out at the end. This year’s festival will include a dissident Iranian filmmaker (Jafar Panahi), a Ukrainian filmmaker (Sergei Loznitsa) and the first Nigerian production in the official selection (Akinola Davies Jr.'s “My Father's Shadow”).
The Cannes Film Festival originally emerged in the World War II years, when the rise of fascism in Italy led to the founding of an alternative to the then-government controlled Venice Film Festival. In the time since, Cannes’ resolute commitment to cinema has made it a beacon to filmmakers. Countless directors have come to make their name.
Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump's announcement about maximum tariffs planned for all movies made outside his country has sparked concerns within and beyond the entertainment industry.