Cannes 2024: the most quirky moments of the festival

By Nathan Merchadier, 

and Marie Boulet Violaine Schütz.

Published on 30 May 2024. Updated on 18 May 2026.

As happens every year, the Cannes Film Festival promises to set the Croisette and social networks on fire with quirky moments captured by countless photographers until May 25th, 2024. As the 77th edition of the festival kicked off with a memorable ceremony hosted by Camille Cottin on Tuesday, May 14th, a few unexpected situations representative of Cannes have already left their mark…

Singer Zaho de Sagazan in socks at the opening ceremony of the 2024 Cannes Film Festival

Recipient of four awards, including the one for Best Album of the Year at the last Victoires de la Musique, French singer-songwriter and musician Zaho de Sagazan electrified the opening ceremony of the 77th edition of the Cannes Film Festival. Under the watchful eye, full of emotions of director Greta Gerwig, who presides over the jury of this new edition, the artist swapped Cannes’ quintessential stilettos for white socks and delivered a moving reinterpretation of David Bowie’s song Modern Love (1983). An already cult sequence of the 2024 Cannes Film Festival.

Actor Omar Sy does a series of selfies on the red carpet of the Cannes Film Festival

Before entering the projection room of the Palais des Festivals, where the memorable opening ceremony happened, actor Omar Sy got himself noticed on the red carpet. This year, the French actor officiates as a member of the jury for the official selection of the Cannes Film Festival. Several shots taken by photographers show the actor, phone in hand, taking selfies and filming fellow actors Greta Gerwig, Eva Green and Lily Gladstone as they walk up the steps – something that is usually forbidden to those invited to walk the red carpet of this international event.

Messi, the star dog of Anatomy of a Fall, climbs the steps of the Cannes Film Festival

One year after receiving the “Palm Dog” award at the Cannes Film Festival, propelling him to the title of “Best Canine Performer” for his role in the 2023 Palme d’Or recipient film Anatomy of a Fall (2023), Messi, the famous border collie made an impression on the red carpet on May 14th, with a remarkable walk up the steps. After being invited to the Oscars alongside the entire crew of the feature directed by Justine Triet, the star dog is firmly establishing himself as one of the coolest canine actors of the moment.

Jane Fonda attends the TV set of “C à vous” holding a glass of champagne in her hand

As the brilliant Jane Fonda takes on the role of godmother of this 77th edition of the Cannes Film Festival, she was the guest of journalist Anne-Elisabeth Lemoine on the French show “C à vous” on May 14th, 2024. And as usual, the 86-year-old actress didn’t miss a beat. The star appeared on the set of the live broadcast holding a glass of champagne in her hand, thus creating some unease among the team. Indeed, a law prohibits the consumption of alcohol on television. “I can’t believe that we’re not allowed to drink on French TV,” the actress said in French, stunned. Anne-Élisabeth Lemoine informed her that smoking was forbidden too.

Quentin Dupieux’s strange press conference for his film The Second Act

Following the screening of his feature The Second Act, which opened the 77th edition of the Cannes Film Festival, the prolific film director Quentin Dupieux attended a press conference with the whole cast. The filmmaker behind the delightful Yannick (2023) had previously informed the media that he would not be giving interviews about his new project, so the atmosphere in the conference room became heavy as the journalists started asking him questions. “I’m only here to be polite”, the director declared, surrounded by his stellar cast including Léa Seydoux, Raphaël Quenard and Louis Garrel. As for actor Vincent Lindon, he gave an acidic answer to one of the journalists at the end of that strange press conference: “We’ve been answering the same question for the past half an hour”. Perhaps it was nothing else than a performance close to the themes explored in the film…

An orchestrated happening during the screening of Megalopolis at the Cannes Film Festival

On May 16th,Francis Ford Coppola’s much-anticipated pharaonic project Megalopolis was presented on the Croisette. During one of previews of the feature, a fake journalist climbed onto the stage of the Palais des Festivals to ask Caesar Catilina (Adam Driver) a question, which he answered on screen. A sort of happening that seemed improvised, but was in fact the director’s idea in order to surprise the audience. Let’s see if this staging will happen every time Megalopolis is shown in cinemas. The official release date is still unknown.

Demi Moore and her dog Pilaf at the photocall of the film The Substance

Actress Demi Moore is now becoming one of the most exciting stars of the 2024 Cannes Film Festival. Not only is she multiplying her fashion statements wearing Schiaparelli or Balenciaga, but she is also starring in one of the most talked-about films of this 77th edition, The Substance. The 61-year-old star took her dog Pilaf, aka Pipi, on the film’s photocall to talk about the project. Between Messi, the dog who paraded down the red carpet a few days earlier, and Laetitia Dosch who brought a furry beast to the party for the film Dog on Trial on the Croisette (at Vega La Plage x Nomade), the festival is definitely having a field day.

A marching band at the Palais des Festivals

On Sunday, May 19th, the 1,000 spectators attending the screening of Emmanuel Courcol’s film The Marching Band were in for a pleasant surprise. While the feature tells the story of a conductor discovering the existence of a younger brother who plays trombone in a marching band in the North of France, the story took shape IRL. At the end of the screening, musicians from the municipal miners’ brass band in Lallaing, North of France, performed in the Palais des Festivals, transforming the venue into a concert hall. The musicians, who all play in this feel-good comedy starring Benjamin Lavernhe, received a moving standing ovation.

The Olympic Flame on the red carpet of the Cannes Film Festival

On Tuesday 21st, the worlds of culture and sport met for an unusual rendezvous on the Croisette during the 2024 Cannes Film Festival. Indeed, as the red carpet of the famous film festival is always crackling under camera flashes, it was the perfect occasion for a special walk up the steps. Currently traveling around the different regions of France in the run-up to the 2024 Paris Summer Olympics, the Olympic Flame made a noteworthy stopover in Cannes as part of its national tour, carried by four athletes performing in the paralympic games.

Traduction Emma Naroumbo Armaing.