Cannes Contenders 2026: France

Intermarché - Le Mal-Aimé

Intermarché and Romance continue their long-running collaboration around emotional storytelling with Le Mal-Aimé, a Christmas film mixing live action and 3D animation, directed by Nadège Loiseau through Divine Production and produced in animation by Illogic Studios, set to Claude François’ iconic track.

No promotions, almost no product focus, just a carefully crafted emotional narrative. At a time when AI-generated visuals are becoming increasingly common in advertising, the decision to rely on traditional animation craftsmanship also gives the project additional resonance. 

The campaign became viral and travelled surprisingly well internationally for a French retailer, which could make it an interesting contender in Film, and potentially Film Craft as well.

Motrio - Le Ranch

For its first major brand campaign, Motrio and Buzzman take an unexpected route by turning car repair into a western-inspired fable. 

Directed by Hugues de la Brosse through Birth. The commitment to the metaphor! Instead of relying on the usual automotive aftersales clichés, the campaign builds a cinematic universe that feels both entertaining and surprisingly warm.

The craft also helps elevate the idea, with strong cinematography and a restrained sense of humour throughout. I could see the campaign finding a place in Film. 

For a category often dominated by functional messaging, this feels refreshingly distinctive.

Renault - All Lover5

With All Lover5, Renault and Publicis Conseil celebrate the success of the new electrical Renault 5 through a simple but effective idea: everyone is drawn to the car. 

Directed by Nico Perez Veiga through Iconoclast, we follow people across the city leaving everything behind to run towards the vehicle, carried by Cerrone’s Give Me Love. 

What stands out most is the overall craft. The cinematography by André Chemetoff, the lighting and the beautifully composed frames give the film a polished and cinematic feel without overcomplicating the idea. 

It’s the kind of automotive film that feels carefully executed from start to finish, which could make it a strong contender in Film Craft, particularly for cinematography and direction.

Alpine - L’Anomalie

For the launch of the A390, Alpine and BETC Paris imagined a dystopian future where driving has become fully automated and human intervention almost obsolete. 

Directed by Nicolai Fuglsig through Wanda and MJZ, we assist to a woman’s act of rebellion trapped in an authoritarian system. Rather than focusing on performance or technology, the campaign positions driving itself as an emotional experience worth preserving. The sci-fi treatment, combined with Matias Boucard’s cinematography and the restrained use of VFX by The Mill, gives the film a cinematic scale that feels closer to a short film than a traditional car commercial.

I also find the production approach interesting in the current context. While many brands are leaning into AI-generated aesthetics, Alpine deliberately chose practical filmmaking and human-crafted visual effects. This could make the campaign a strong contender in Film Craft, especially for cinematography and production design.