During his annual press conference on the eve of Cannes, Thierry Frémaux defended the festival's gender policy, responding to criticism from Le Collectif 50/50 regarding the fact that only five of the 22 Palme d'Or candidates were directed by women. He welcomed the new AMPAS Oscar rules, which allow a non-English language film to also qualify for the Best International Feature Film category by winning the top prize at festivals like Cannes, thereby giving the Palme d'Or more weight. Regarding AI, Frémaux stated that the festival stands unconditionally behind screenwriters, actors, and voice actors.

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