A filmmaking tool or an existential threat: Cannes Film Festival weighs the rise of AI

CANNES, France (AP) — The Cannes Film Festival can function like a global water cooler for movies, with prevailing issues and anxieties tending to come to the surface at the event. This year, the topic du jour is artificial intelligence.

The 79th Cannes may go down as the time the world's grandest film festival for the first time wrestled with the onset of AI — its arrival has been felt like a tsunami on the French Riviera. Its potential to remake the movie industry, for good or bad, has been an ongoing debate since the festival opened.

And in many quarters, the tone is softening.

“The buzz in Cannes and the buzz in the industry, it does feel like it’s definitely a turning point,” said Scott Mann, co-chief executive of Flawless, a company that specializes in assistive AI programs for post-production.

On screen and off, AI is much more present.

For the first time, Cannes has partnered with Meta in a new multiyear deal. The company has set up camp at the Majestic Hotel. And its AI tools were used to help produce a festival entry: Steven Soderbergh's “John Lennon: The Last Interview.”

The documentary is about a lengthy and insightful interview Lennon and Yoko Ono gave on the day Lennon was shot and killed in 1980. To add imagery to match Lennon's conversation, Soderbergh used Meta's AI programs to create surreal graphics.

The choice brought scorn from most critics in Cannes, but Soderbergh, a highly skilled innovator who has shot movies on iPhones, believes its time for such experimentation.

“We haven’t seen yet someone with a certain amount of creative credibility go full-metal AI on something, and see how people react. I think it’s necessary,” Soderbergh said in an interview. “How do you know where the line is until somebody crosses it? I don’t think what I’m doing crosses it. Some people may disagree. I don’t know where my line is yet. I’m waiting to see.”

Filmmakers, actors and others at Cannes have been drawing their own lines, or at least making pronouncements about AI.

On opening day, Demi Moore, a juror, said fighting AI “is a battle we will lose.” The next day, honorary Palme d'Or recipient Peter Jackson, said: “I don’t dislike it at all. To me, it’s just a special effect. It’s no different from other special effects.”

Filmmaker James Gray, whose starry family drama “Paper Tiger” was one of the standouts over the weekend, said he's not worried.

“In some cases, it can be a very helpful tool,” said Gray in an interview. “I don’t think in our lifetime, or even our children’s lifetimes, it will come close to mirroring the only true infinite we know, which is the soul.”

“The answer I think is that most young people should be studying the humanities,” added Gray. “People should be reading Tolstoy in their spare time to understand the human soul."

Cannes is unfolding in the wake of some significant new developments for AI in Hollywood.

Earlier this month, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Science announced new guidelines, ruling that only performances “demonstrably performed by humans with their consent” will be considered for acting nominations.

At the same time, the Oscar group also said AI tools “neither help nor harm the chance of a nomination.”

The Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists recently reached a tentative agreement with studios detailing and clarifying AI guardrails for things like the use of digital replicas and synthetic performers.

Some advancements have sent shudders through Hollywood. The unveiling of Tilly Norwood, an entirely AI-created so-called “actress,” sparked outrage through the industry. Earlier this year, the first look at a posthumous AI resurrection of Val Kilmer, for a film made with his family's consent, spawned another round of debate.

But while more extreme uses of generative AI continue to prompt worry, other iterations continue to make inroads.

“It is going to be a part of our business,” Kent Sanderson, Bleecker Street chief executive, said in a panel discussion. “It is going to lower production costs, and yes, you probably will be able to make something that looks like a Marvel movie in your basement in a couple of years.”

While Cannes has stringent rules for what can and can't be worn on its red carpet, it's issuing no decrees banning AI from film selections — for now.

The day before the festival began, Cannes' artistic director Thierry Frémaux wryly responded to a question about AI, noting that he had also heard James Cameron had used special effects for “Avatar.”

“What I can say with certainty in relation to artificial intelligence is that we are on the side of the artists, the screenwriters, actors and voice actors,” said Frémaux. “We stand with everyone whose job could be negatively impacted by artificial intelligence. It requires legislation. We need to control this.”

Mann, the Flawless executive, was sitting on the Cannes beach outside a party his company was throwing in one of the seaside clubs that regularly host movie after-parties. Since 2019, Flawless has set out to demonstrate that AI can be used thoughtfully.

Unlicensed generative AI is bad, he states unequivocally.

“But what we’ve found is that the way people don’t understand is part of the problem. AI as a term is seen as a catchall, but it’s not that simple,” says Scott. “The truth is, our industry needs saving. It needs a technological evolution, and this is offering it.”

Director Hirokazu Kore-eda, from left, Haruka Ayase, Rimu Kuwaki, and Daigo Yamamoto pose for photographers upon arrival at the premiere of the film 'Sheep in the Box' at the 79th international film festival, Cannes, southern France, Saturday, May 16, 2026. (AP Photo/John Locher)

Director Steven Soderbergh poses for photographers at the photo call for the film 'John Lennon: The Last Interview' during the 79th international film festival, Cannes, southern France, Saturday, May 16, 2026. (AP Photo/John Locher)

Peter Jackson poses for photographers at the opening ceremony and premiere of the film 'The Electric Kiss' during 79th international film festival, Cannes, southern France, Tuesday, May 12, 2026. (AP Photo/John Locher)

Jury member Demi Moore poses for photographers upon arrival at the premiere of the film 'Paper Tiger' at the 79th international film festival, Cannes, southern France, Saturday, May 16, 2026. (AP Photo/Andreea Alexandru)

A person takes a photo outside the Palais des Festivals during preparations for the 79th international film festival, Cannes, southern France, Monday, May 11, 2026. (AP Photo/John Locher)

LAS VEGAS (AP) — Conn Smythe favorite Mitch Marner had a natural hat trick in the second period to help Vegas build a four-goal lead over the Carolina Hurricanes on Saturday night in the Golden Knights’ 5-4, double-overtime victory in Game 3 of the Stanley Cup Final.

The 4-0 advantage didn’t last, as Carolina answered with four goals in the third period to force overtime for the second straight game. Carolina overcame a 2-0 deficit and won Game 2 in overtime when Seth Jarvis scored during a power play 3:56 into the extra frame.

“The game’s changed so much to where there’s no lead safe,” Vegas coach John Tortorella said. “There are so many different types of mistakes made, so many great plays made. You just never know where it’s going to go.

“I’ve experienced a lot of games and playoffs. I haven’t experienced one like this, in where, I mean, we could do nothing wrong in the second period and probably did everything wrong in the third period.”

Vegas goalie Carter Hart stopped six shots and Carolina’s Brandon Bussi made seven saves in the first overtime. Then, it was Shea Theodore playing the role of hero 5:38 into the second overtime when his shot off the end board caromed off Bussi's skate and gave Vegas a 2-1 series lead.

Theodore’s goal also prevented Marner’s monumental night from going to waste.

“Obviously, not how you envision the third in a way, but just really happy with how our group responded, just staying calm in the moment, coming back in between periods, or going into overtime there, just having the trust,” Marner said.

It was Carolina’s seventh overtime game of the playoffs, and Vegas’ fifth trip to extra time.

Tomas Hertl broke a scoreless tie midway through the second, after Vegas opened the stanza by having two goals overturned by challenges.

Marner’s first goal came when he gathered a loose puck near the boards and fired a backhander into the crease, where Carolina defenseman Sean Walker accidentally deflected the puck past Frederik Andersen.

Less than four minutes later, Marner gracefully deked around Andersen and slipped the puck into the net with relative ease to make it 3-0.

Then, with a little more than three minutes left in the period, the 10-year veteran blasted a shot from the right circle, triggering throngs of hats being thrown on the ice. It was the fastest natural hat trick in Stanley Cup history at 6:10.

“I think a lot of guys made great plays to set me up in that area,” Marner said. “I think you need five guys in the ice to all be on the same page, and I thought our line did a really good job of that throughout the entire night.”

Marner had a chance for a fourth goal when he was awarded a penalty shot in the third period after being slashed by Sebastian Aho on a breakaway, but was stymied by Bussi.

Marner also assisted on Hertl’s goal. His four points are tied for the most in a single period since 1919.

Marner’s 28 points are the most by any player in NHL history in his first postseason with a new team.

The 29-year-old has 10 goals in 19 playoff games with the Golden Knights. He had 13 goals in 70 playoff games during his nine years with Toronto.

AP NHL: https://apnews.com/hub/NHL

Vegas Golden Knights right wing Mitch Marner, left, celebrates his goal as Carolina Hurricanes defenseman Sean Walker, right, skates behind during the second period in Game 3 of the NHL hockey Stanley Cup Final series, Saturday, June 6, 2026, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/John Locher)

Vegas Golden Knights right wing Mitch Marner, right, scores on Carolina Hurricanes goaltender Frederik Andersen during the second period in Game 3 of the NHL hockey Stanley Cup Final series Saturday, June 6, 2026, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/John Locher)

Vegas Golden Knights right wing Mitch Marner celebrates his goal with defenseman Shea Theodore, an own goal by the Carolina Hurricanes defenseman Sean Walker, during the second period in Game 3 of the NHL hockey Stanley Cup Final series Saturday, June 6, 2026, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/John Locher)

Carolina Hurricanes goaltender Frederik Andersen, right, stops a shot by Vegas Golden Knights right wing Mitch Marner during the second period in Game 3 of the NHL hockey Stanley Cup Final series Saturday, June 6, 2026, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/John Locher)