Vanity Fair and IHG Hotels & Resorts Open Cannes 2026 in Style

TheCannes Film Festival officially began in spectacular fashion as Vanity Fair and IHG Hotels & Resorts hosted an exclusive opening celebration at the iconic Carlton Cannes, a Regent Hotel.

Set against the sparkling Mediterranean coastline, the glamorous beachfront gathering welcomed film stars, rising talents, entertainment executives and international guests before the festival’s official opening ceremony.

Despite a windy but sunny Riviera afternoon, guests enjoyed rosé, signature cocktails and panoramic sea views from the Carlton Cannes Beach Club, embracing the timeless elegance that defines Cannes every year.

The event brought together an impressive mix of established Hollywood names and emerging international actors, including Gillian Anderson, Alex Pettyfer, Forest Whitaker, Lucas Bravo, Emmett Scanlan, Anthony Boyle and Maika Monroe.

Guests were welcomed by Connor Smith, Senior Vice President of Global Luxury & Lifestyle Brands at IHG Hotels & Resorts, Tom Rowntree, Vice President of Global Luxury Brands, along with John Ross, Editorial Projects Director at Vanity Fair, and Olivier Bouchara, Editorial Content Lead for Vanity Fair France.

“We are thrilled to renew our partnership with IHG Hotels & Resorts for our annual Cannes opening lunch,” said John Ross. “Now in its fourth edition, the gathering has become one of the defining moments of the opening days of the Cannes Film Festival.”

Held at one of the Riviera’s most legendary hotels, the event highlighted the close relationship between luxury hospitality and the global entertainment industry.

The Carlton Cannes has been deeply connected to cinema history for more than a century. Since opening in 1913, the hotel has hosted generations of movie stars and filmmakers and has remained an essential part of the Cannes Film Festival since its creation in 1946.

The hotel also famously appeared in Alfred Hitchcock’s To Catch a Thief, where Hollywood icon Grace Kelly met Prince Rainier of Monaco.

For the 2026 edition, organizers created a lavish seaside setting featuring a 17.5-meter-long communal dining table decorated with a flowing color gradient inspired by the Riviera landscape.

Guests enjoyed refined canapés and the Beach Club’s signature brioche lobster rolls, paired with cocktails such as the “Cannes 75,” combining Monkey 47 gin, mandarin, elderflower, lemon and champagne.

Beyond the glamour, the event also reflected IHG Hotels & Resorts’ broader strategy to reposition Regent as a symbol of modern luxury hospitality worldwide.

Over the past eight years, the company has expanded the Regent portfolio internationally, with properties including Regent Hong Kong and Regent Santa Monica Beach, while additional openings are planned in destinations such as Kuala Lumpur and Sanya Haitang Bay.

Today, IHG Hotels & Resorts operates more than 7,000 hotels across over 100 countries through 21 global brands, making it one of the world’s leading hospitality groups.

As Cannes once again becomes the center of global cinema, the Vanity Fair and IHG celebration perfectly captured the blend of luxury, culture and international influence that continues to define the festival’s global reputation.

©2026 – IMPACT EUROPEAN