Lukewarm Media Reception of Cannes Opening Film

Paris, 1928. A young painter in vogue, Antoine Balestro, has been unable to paint since his wife died, to the despair of his gallery owner, Armand. One drunken evening, Antoine tries to contact his wife through a psychic, but is actually speaking with Suzanne, a humble carnival worker who has sneaked in to steal food. Suzanne proves to be a gifted fraudster and, soon aided by Armand, stages fake séances. Little by little, Antoine regains his inspiration, but the situation grows increasingly complicated as Suzanne falls in love with the man she is manipulating. 

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Cover Banner on the Official Cannes Website for the film  La Vénus Électrique

The 2026 Cannes Film Festival started on Tuesday, May 12th, with the premiere of the film La Vénus Électrique (The Electric Kiss). Directed by Pierre Salvadori and starring Pio Marmai, Anais Demoustier, Gilles Lellouche, Vimala Pons, Gustave Kervern, and Madeleine Baudot, the film opened to mixed reviews. Although the film is enjoyable and has quite a bit of charm, according to most reporting outlets, the biggest sin this film commits is that it is forgettable. Even with an enjoyable and lightweight plot, most are saying that the premise of the film sounds a lot more exciting than the actual film itself, citing the fact that the execution never fully pays off. Although the film presents itself as a whimsical romantic comedy, its pacing feels too slow to fit within those guidelines. However, the lead actress, Anais Demoustier, is receiving praise for the opposite reasons; many critics are saying that she carries the film with her comedic charm. Overall, the main sentiment across most outlets is that La Vénus Électrique falls into the same trap as so many other Cannes opening films: fun, but lacking substance.

Variety quoted : ..."the worst opening film of the decade"...