Is Gen Z really interested in Cannes Film Festival? Likes, looks and luxury seem to take over the real star of the festival: cinema
Long seen as an elitist event reserved for cinephiles and film industry professionals, the Cannes Film Festival now appears to be sparking renewed interest among Generation Z. Born between the late 1990s and early 2010s, this generation does not follow the festival in the traditional way, but they are certainly paying attention. Gen Z youth generally don’t watch the opening ceremony or the red carpet on television. Yet, they engage with Cannes through social media: TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube. The Festival has taken note, establishing an official partnership with TikTok in 2022, allowing users to post their own content and access exclusive behind-the-scenes footage. Additionally, the Festival invites renowned influencers to increase its visibility among young people. This year, Michou, EnjoyPhoenix, and Léna Situations — personalities with millions of followers each — were among the invited guests brushing the red carpet.
This strategy seems to be working. In 2024, the Cannes Film Festival generated $86.3 million in Earned Media Value (EMV) on Instagram alone. This impressive figure, published by Vogue Business, shows that Cannes remains a globally influential event, particularly in sectors favored by Gen Z: fashion, beauty, and celebrities. Fashion alone accounted for 54.1% of this media value, proving that the interest goes beyond just cinema. What mainly attracts Gen Z to Cannes are the celebrities and their outfits. The 2024 edition was marked by viral moments, including an Instagram post by Selena Gomez that garnered 5.7 million likes, making it the most liked post of the festival across all platforms last year. For the 2025 edition, the Festival surprised everyone by announcing a restrictive dress code on the eve of the opening, creating a buzz on social media. Model Bella Hadid also drew attention with her Yves Saint Laurent dress that charmed all of the Croisette. Videos of the red carpet featuring the Palestinian-Dutch superstar have reached hundreds of thousands of views. More than the films themselves, it’s the glamorous moments, spectacular outfits, and influencer stories from the red carpet that capture attention.
This indirect but real connection to Cannes illustrates a paradigm shift: Gen Z consumes culture in fragments, via social media, and values image, conveyed messages, and minority representation more than the traditional prestige of an event. When a film at Cannes tackles issues like ecology, feminism, or diversity, it can gain popularity with this young audience, especially if it goes viral. So, Gen Z is interested in the Cannes Film Festival, but in its own way. It is no longer cinema itself that draws them in, but the broader universe of the event: fashion, influencers, social messages, and viral content. To continue engaging this audience, Cannes will need to pursue its digital transformation without losing its cinematic soul.
