Sanam Saeed will debut at Cannes Film Festival in 2026

Pakistani star Sanam Saeed to make her debut appearance at the prestigious Cannes Film Festival 2026, marking a big milestone for Pakistan’s entertainment industry at the world stage.

The Cannes Film Festival’s 79th edition will take place from May 12 to 23, 2026, in the Palais des Festivals et des Congrès in Cannes.

Sanam’s involvement will not be limited to red carpet appearances, as she has been named as one of the inaugural honorees of Us Studios’ “South Asian Women Excellence in Cinema & Global Art” project, which aims to recognise the contributions of women in cinema and creative arts across South Asia.

Before coming to Cannes Sanam said that she will pay respect to famous Pakistani film hero Shamim Ara, who left a lasting impact on the film industry of the country.

Her life did not follow the traditional pattern of rise, fall and fade. It was something exceptional – ascension, dominance, reinvention, legacy,” Sanam said in a video posted on her official Instagram account.

She also talked about the legacy of Shamim Ara, who she said “quietly broke the biggest boundaries, opening doors for women behind the camera.”

Several other Pakistani celebs too lauded the announcement, congratulating Sanam on her success and expressing delight, including Mahira Khan. Maya Ali also praised Sanam for paying tribute to Shamim Ara. Kinza Hashmi and other stars also congratulated and showed their support.

Zara Noor Abbas, Ghana Ali, Nadia Hussain and Hareem Farooq among others also praised Sanam before her debut at Cannes.