India at Cannes 2026: Films set to shine on global stage- Shadow of the Moonless Nights, Amma Ariyan and more
From Shadows of the Moonless Nights to Amma Ariyan, this year at Cannes, several Indian films will be screened, which are beyond Bollywood and will showcase regional talents and independent cinema on a global stage.
Indian films to be screened at Cannes 2026
The 79th edition of the Cannes Film Festival is all set to begin on May 12 and will end on May 23 on the French Riviera, which will feature a lighter Hollywood footprint with a heavy focus on international auteur cinema. South Koren director Park Chan Wook leads the jury with 22 films in competition. This year the presence of Indian films at the festival will include many, including Shadows of the Moonless Nights and Amma Ariyan, among others.
Shadows of the Moonless Nights
Shadows of the Moonless Nights is a Punjabi-language short film directed by Mehar Malhotra, a student of the Film and Television Institute of India (FTII). The film was selected for the prestigious La Cinef section at the 2026 Cannes Film Festival. The film focuses on the story of Rajan, a weary night factory worker, who battles extreme fatigue and the invisible toll of sleepless urban labour.
Balan: The Boy
Balan: The Boy is an upcoming Malayalam-language film directed by Chidambaram (best known for Manjummel Boys) and is written by Jithu Madhavan (Aavesham). It is set for a market screening at the Cannes Film Festival's Marche du Film on May 14. It tells the story of a teenage boy on a journey of survival and emotional turmoil, dealing with abandonment and searching for the truth about his past and missing mother.
Amma Ariyan
Amma Ariyan, a 4K restoration of John Abraham's 1986 Malayalam cult classic (in translation – Report to Mother), will have its world premiere at the Cannes Film Festival 2026, which is scheduled to release on May 16. It is the only Indian feature selected for a premiere in the Cannes Classics Section this year, restored by the Film Heritage Foundation (FHF). The film follows a group of activists, who are travelling from Wayanad to Kochi to inform the mother of a deceased young Naxalite about her son's death, exploring themes of political disillusionment, memory, and resistance in 1970s Kerala.
Chardikala
The Punjabi film is grabbing headlines as a significant entry at Cannes Film Festival. The film will star Ammy Virk, Himmat Sandhu and Roopi Gill in lead roles and is centred on a devoted nurse whose peaceful life is shattered when she is falsely implicated in a major incident. Following this, she uses her isolation as an opportunity to help struggling families. Directed by Amarjit Singh Saron, this film will be represented at the prestigious film festival before its general release on May 29. Actors Ammy Virk and Roopi Gill are scheduled to attend the festival to represent the film, with Virk making his red carpet debut.
Spirit of the Wildflower
It is a 90-minute documentary which is directed by Kolkata-born filmmaker Shrimoyee Chakraborty; it is set for a market screening at the Marche du Film at the Cannes Film Festival. It focuses on the story of two sisters running India's first legal mahua distillery in Madhya Pradesh, highlighting tribal resistance, resilience and local sustainable entrepreneurship. It is part of the Indian delegation at the 2026 Cannes market, which runs alongside the festival.
September 21
September 21, a Hindi-Kannada film directed by 22-year-old Karen Kshiti Suvarna, will have its world premiere at the 79th Cannes Film Festival (Marché du Film) on May 16, 2026. It explores the story of a patient with Alzheimer's and uses silence to convey emotions, highlighting the experiences of caregivers.
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