Special Awards Presentation to Christian James Madsen and Eva Lanska at Opening Ceremony Reception
Cannes, May 11, 2026 – The French Riviera Film Festival (FRFF) has released its official trailer for the 2026 edition, as announced today by co-founder Nicole Goesseringer Muj and executive producer Kate Elfatah. Now in its eighth year, the festival will take place May 15–16, 2026, continuing its mission to celebrate outstanding short-form content from around the world.
“As we return to the French Riviera during the Festival de Cannes, we are proud to unveil a new edition that reflects both the elegance of the setting and the innovation of today’s storytellers,” says Elfatah. “FRFF has become a destination for discovering compelling short-form content while fostering meaningful connections within the global creative community.”
This year’s two-day program will include a special out-of-competition presentation of Free Bird, written, directed by, and starring Christian James Madsen. The screening marks the film’s official debut and will be followed by an exclusive Q&A with Madsen.
During the festival’s exclusive opening reception at the Bel Air Fine Art Gallery, specialty awards will be presented to Madsen and creative artist Eva Lanska
“We are delighted to honor Christian James Madsen and Eva Lanska, whose work embodies a distinctive artistic vision and a dedication to pushing creative boundaries,” comments Muj. “Recognizing artists of this caliber in Cannes underscores our commitment to celebrating excellence across film and contemporary art.”
Christian James Madsen is an American actor, writer, and filmmaker known for his work in Divergent, Palo Alto, Mr. Church, and numerous independent films. He continues to expand his creative portfolio with upcoming film projects and published poetry.
Eva Lanska is an internationally acclaimed artist, filmmaker, and curator whose work explores identity and cultural heritage. Her award-winning films and multidisciplinary practice have been recognized at festivals worldwide.
Founded in 2019, FRFF highlights innovative storytelling across film, television, web, and digital platforms. Held during the Festival de Cannes, the event brings together filmmakers, industry leaders, media, and influencers for screenings, networking events, the annual Global Entertainment Showcase, VIP receptions, and a closing gala awards ceremony. Festival screenings will take place at the Eden Hotel & Spa (133 rue d’Antibes), running from 10:00 AM to 3:00 PM on May 15 and 9:00 AM to 3:00 PM on May 16. Screenings are free and open to the public, while select receptions and awards events will be invitation-only.
The 2026 lineup will recognize Finalist and Special Mention films across categories including AI, Micro Short, Student, Animation, Sci-Fi/Horror, Comedy, Documentary, Music Video, Fashion, Experimental, Commercial, Drama, and Screenwriting. In addition to in-person events, select films will be available for online viewing beginning May 15 via Entertainment Oxygen’s eoFlix platform.
FRFF’s partners include Eden Hotel & Spa, Bel-Air Fine Art, eoFlix, AIX Rosé, Cardinal du Four, FilmFestivals.com, Indie Entertainment Media, and Just Cinema Magazine. Gift bag partners include Cotrini Skincare, Harangvölgyi Institute, Ready Set Jet, Velvet Eyewear, and others.
RFF’s Advisory Board includes Joan Burney Keatings, chief executive, Cinemagic; Bruno Chatelin, COO, filmfestivals.com (also on festival jury), Larry Namer, president/CEO, Metan Global Entertainment Group, Ana B. Remos, vice president, editorial director & founder, azureazure.com (also on festival jury), Dr. Laura Wilhelm, founder/principal, and LauraWil Intercultural (also on festival jury). Jury members include Rehna Azim, awards editor, Movie Marker; Lena Basse, journalist, Golden Globes; Claude Brickell, filmmaker, screenwriter and educator; Ron Fogel, journalist, Golden Globes; Giovanni Menicocci, Mauxa/Daily Bloid; James Prestige, publisher, actor Martín Rodriguez, Close-Up Culture; entertainment attorney Tshombe Sampson; Eileen Tasca, managing director, Alien Films & Task Films; and Sue Vicory, founder, Heartland Films and womendocumentaryfilmmakers
French Riviera Film Festival Founders Gotham Chandna of Cloud 21 PR International and Nicole Goesseringer Muj of Kultura PR International, and partner Kate Elfatah (founder, HoM Consulting) have produced numerous industry special events, including the annual “Global Entertainment Showcase” during the Cannes Film Festival and Marché du Film, the annual “Production Without Borders” event during AFM, the annual Indie Entertainment Showcase in Park City, Utah, and “A Salute to Akira Kurosawa” with China’s Jinke Entertainment in Cannes. The companies have co-produced events and worked with top entertainment and technology brands, including Cinando, Creative Coalition, Davines North America, E! Entertainment Television, ECU Film Festival, Eurocinema, Euromed, FlixSnip, Maverick Entertainment, Metan Global Entertainment Group, Oculus, Sony Interactive, Vesilind, 8K Miles Media Group, FanVestor, plus many others.
Photos/Videos Courtesy of FRFF.
