Cannes Film Festival 2026 closing ceremony hits record TV audience
The Cannes 2026 closing ceremony drew 2.8 million viewers in France, a record audience share, with the Palme d’Or going to Fjord.
The closing ceremony of the 79th Cannes Film Festival, broadcast on France 2 on Saturday 23 May 2026, attracted up to 2.8 million viewers live, according to Médiamétrie figures released the following day.
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This represents a rise compared with 2025 and marks a 21% audience share, which France Télévisions described as a “historic record” and the strongest performance in three years.
The broadcast peaked at 9:05pm during the presentation of the Best Actress awards to Virginie Efira and Tao Okamoto for their roles in Soudain, directed by Ryusuke Hamaguchi.
The film focuses on a bittersweet story set in a French retirement home.The Palme d’Or was awarded to Romanian director Cristian Mungiu for his film Fjord.
The ceremony was hosted by actress Eye Haïdara.France Télévisions said the figures reflect strong continued public interest in the festival.