The opening ceremony of France’s Lumière Film Festival took place in Lyon, drawing prominent filmmakers and actors including Todd Haynes, Zhang Ziyi, Daniel Brühl, Tsui Hark, and Andrey Zvyagintsev. Festival director Thierry Frémaux, who also heads the Cannes Film Festival, used the occasion to deliver remarks regarding U.S. President Donald Trump, joking that the Lumière Award—the festival’s highest honor—is one prize the president will not receive, in reference to Trump’s stated disappointment about not winning a Nobel Peace Prize.
Haynes attended the gala to participate in a masterclass and retrospective showcasing his earlier works. On the red carpet, he discussed his upcoming film “De Noche,” which reunites Pedro Pascal and Danny Ramirez after actor Joaquin Phoenix departed the project in 2024. With principal photography completed, Haynes indicated the film will likely carry an R rating. He described the project as a love story centered on two male characters navigating complex emotions and self-discovery, set against the backdrop of 1938. He drew parallels to Ettore Scola’s 1977 film “A Special Day,” which screened as the opening-night selection and similarly examines an intimate encounter between two men in Fascist Italy.
The festival recognized the Coen Brothers with its Lumière Award, to be presented later in the festival run. Frémaux positioned the honor within the festival’s historical significance, noting the connection between the award’s name and Auguste and Louis Lumière, the Lyon-born cinema pioneers. Previous recipients of the Lumière Award include major figures such as Clint Eastwood, Quentin Tarantino, Martin Scorsese, and others.
Zhang Ziyi attended to introduce a newly restored 4K version of “Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon,” the 2000 Ang Lee film that launched her international career and won four Academy Awards. When asked if such a film could be made today, she expressed skepticism, noting that while modern digital technology has streamlined production processes, the overall creative atmosphere has shifted.
The nine-day festival will feature 163 films and more than 400 screenings across venues throughout the Lyon area, running through Oct. 18.
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