Seven DFI-supported films have been selected across the Cannes Film Festival, highlighting the Institute’s growing role in championing bold international cinema and emerging voices from across the region and beyond

Doha Film Institute is set to make a significant impact at the 2026 Cannes Film Festival 2026, with seven supported films selected across some of the festival’s most prestigious categories. Spanning the Official Selection, In Competition, Un Certain Regard, Critics’ Week and Directors’ Fortnight, this year’s line-up reflects the Institute’s continued commitment to supporting ambitious international filmmaking and amplifying diverse cinematic voices from around the world.

Leading the selection is Parallel Tales, the latest feature from two-time Academy Award-winning filmmaker Asghar Farhadi. Premiering In Competition, the French-language drama stars Isabelle Huppert, Vincent Cassel and Catherine Deneuve, following a celebrated author whose search for inspiration among her neighbours takes an unexpected turn. The inclusion of Farhadi’s latest project further cements DFI’s growing role within major international productions and auteur-driven cinema.

The Un Certain Regard section will also feature three DFI-supported films tackling deeply personal and socially resonant themes. Among them is Yesterday, The Eye Didn’t Sleep by Rakan Mayasi, set within a world shaped by silence, memory and tribal traditions, while Strawberries by Laïla Marrakchi follows two Moroccan women confronting exploitation in Spain. Ben’imana by Marie-Clémentine Dusabejambo explores reconciliation and trauma in post-genocide Rwanda through the story of a survivor forced to confront her past.

Additional selections include 9 Temples to Heaven by Sompot Chidgasornpongse and Red Rocks by Bruno Dumont in Directors’ Fortnight, alongside The Station by Yemeni filmmaker Sara Ishaq in Critics’ Week. Together, the films span multiple cultures, languages and perspectives, highlighting the breadth of contemporary storytelling emerging through DFI’s support programmes.

As Cannes continues to serve as one of the world’s most influential cinematic stages, this year’s selections underline Doha Film Institute’s expanding cultural footprint and its dedication to championing original voices from the region and beyond.