Gong Li's privilege

TPO - The Cannes Film Festival organizers gave Gong Li a very thoughtful and respectful welcome. The actress was also the first Chinese artist to speak at the opening ceremony.

Báo Tiền Phong•13/05/2026

On May 13th, the Cannes Film Festival opened, with Chinese film crews present to promote their films, including Zhang Hanyu and Tian Hairong, Zhao Tao, Gong Li, Zhang Yixing, Xie Keyin, and others. Among them, Gong Li was the Chinese star who received the most special treatment from the Cannes Film Festival organizers.

This year, the Cannes Film Festival organizers also dedicated nearly three minutes for Gong Li to pose on the red carpet, with media cameras focusing on the star of "Farewell My Concubine ." At Cannes 2026, the restored version of "Farewell My Concubine" was also one of the films screened for the public. Gong Li also took the stage to give a speech at the opening ceremony, standing beside her was the legendary actress and writer Jane Fonda.

Gong Li was given the opportunity to pose on the Cannes red carpet.

At the opening ceremony, Gong Li expressed her honor in representing the East and Chinese cinema at Cannes. She then declared in Chinese: "The 79th Cannes International Film Festival is officially open!"

Gong Li shared: "Jane is from the West, I am from the East, and tonight we stand side by side here. This is the allure of the Cannes Film Festival. I am always honored to represent Chinese cinema at the Cannes Film Festival. Cinema transcends language, cultural, and age barriers; it is a bridge for us to share emotions, connect communities, and allow us to meet each other. That is the power of cinema."

Compared to other Chinese artists attending, Gong Li holds a unique position at Cannes. The A-list star has been a familiar face at Cannes for 20 seasons. While many Chinese stars are overlooked on the red carpet, Gong Li is enthusiastically courted by the organizers from the very beginning. The actress from "Red Lanterns Above" has a private car and is escorted by organizers from the airport to the red carpet.

Gong Li was the first Chinese star to speak at the opening ceremony of the Cannes Film Festival.

At the 2019 Cannes Film Festival, Gong Li became the first Asian female artist to receive the Women in Motion award – an award recognizing the contributions of female stars to the film industry.

She has served as the president of the jury for the 50th Berlin International Film Festival, the 59th Venice International Film Festival, the 16th Tokyo International Film Festival, the 17th Shanghai International Film Festival, and the 55th Golden Horse Awards, as well as being a member of the jury for the 50th Cannes Film Festival. Her acclaimed films have left a lasting international mark, most notably * Farewell My Concubine *, which won the Palme d'Or at the 70th Cannes Film Festival.

In contrast to Gong Li's glory, other artists such as Zhang Hanyu, Tian Hairong, Zhang Yixing, Xie Keyin, etc., have been criticized for their excessive posing on the red carpet, leading to chaos and bringing shame to China. This situation has persisted for many years, yet the artists have yet to learn from their mistakes.

Chinese celebrities lined up to pose for photos on the staircase, making it impossible for guests to move. Cannes Film Festival security had to ask them to move quickly.

Zhang Yixing appeared on the red carpet as the Global Media Ambassador for China Night. The actor and his entourage, including Xie Keyin and Mike Angelo, spent a considerable amount of time posing on the red carpet. Zhang Yixing seemed somewhat awkward at the major film festival event. Furthermore, on the staircase area, the Chinese artists continued to stop and pose, obstructing other actors from ascending, prompting Cannes staff to intervene and ask them to leave.

Zhang Yixing's group's actions have drawn criticism from Chinese audiences. Every year, Chinese artists attending the Cannes red carpet spark controversy for standing still for extended periods, striking various poses. However, international media often fail to recognize them. Chinese artists have to hire their own photographers to take pictures and boost their public image.

Cannes has always been a place to celebrate cinema, a dream destination for millions of filmmakers. But every year, the red carpet turns into chaos, with a plethora of "fake stars," social media celebrities, hot girls, and influencers flocking in, turning the once dignified space into a chaotic mess.

Zhang Yixing, Xie Keyin, Tian Haihong, and Zhang Hanyu are among the Chinese stars present on the opening day of the Cannes Film Festival 2026.

According to Sina, many entities have commercialized opportunities to appear at Cannes. Before the event, some individuals even openly "sold red carpet spots" in WeChat groups, including services such as red carpet appearances, hiring official photographers, and tickets to the opening ceremony simply by "paying money".

In previous years, there have also been instances of unknown Chinese actors deliberately dressing outrageously on the Cannes red carpet in order to get media attention.