We're still a few days away from the Palme d'Or, the highest prize awarded each year by the Cannes Film Festival, but the annual French Riviera gathering was made all the more golden on Saturday night thanks to theVarietyand Golden Globes Breakthrough Artists Party. Continuing its tradition of teaming up at global film festivals, the 120-year-old publication and awards body hosted a slew of talent and creatives to mark another year of excellence with Bulova, luxury watchmaker and sponsor. More from Variety Variety and the Golden Globes Announce Vanguard, Creative Impact and Breakthrough Awards Honorees Tessa Thompson to Present First-Ever Cannes Golden Globe Prize for Documentary (EXCLUSIVE) Golden Globes' New Best Podcast Category Draws Applause - and Anxiety - From Creators and Industry Paul Mescal, Micheal Ward, Diane Kruger, new Wes Anderson muse Mia Threapleton, Charlotte Gainsbourg, Zoey Deutch, Jeremy O. Harris, director Ari Aster and more turned up at the glamorous Lucia Beach off the Croisette to celebrate. A gnocchi bar and endless flowing champagne greeted revelers hustling around the historic city from the night's big premiere — Jennifer Lawrence's "Die My Love" — and other soirees.Varietyco-editor-in-chief Ramin Setoodeh hosted the event with Golden Globes president Helen Hoehne. Kicking off the honors was Mescal, who admitted that "anyone who knows me remotely well will know that I have a deep discomfort with public speaking. When Jeremy asked me to do this, I was ecstatic." Presenting the 12-time Tony nominee of "Slave Play" with the Indie Film Icon Award, Harris was feted by Mescal as one whose "loyalty extends wildly into his craft… I think it's wonderfully apt that that he's been recognized for his cultural impact. Jeremy, to me,isthe culture broadly and forever will be that." Harris accepted his trophy in a sweet but fiery speech. "To me, what means being an impactful person at this moment is focusing on your community," he said. "The National Endowment of arts literally does not exist anymore. People are giving their grants back. Every major studio is becoming a conglomerate that's like indebted to someone in Silicon Valley that's going to have AI find our community, build with them and do more." Harris called on everyone in the room to find and fund creatives. Next, director Aster toasted his own up-and-coming "Eddington" star Ward with the Breakthrough Artist award. "It takes a lot of hard work and dedication to make a film, let alone put something like this on. I feel truly inspired by all the young actors coming through, breaking down the door and really doing their thing," he said. Kruger stunned in a black cocktail dress, also handing a Breakthrough Artist prize to Threapleton (who will debut Sunday night in Anderson's "The Phoenician Scheme"), saying that in the film the young star is "not just holding your own with some of the biggest names in Hollywood, but standing out as one of the most exciting new talents around." Threapleton shared a diary entry from 12 years ago that she wrote as a teen, which read: "Watching 'Moonrise Kingdom' again, bloody love this film. Would love to work with Wes Anderson one day." "It sort of happened," she added. Finally, Gainsbourg accepted the Vanguard Award for a career of exquisite, boundary-pushing work. The "Melancholia" star is an eight-time César nominee, two-time César winner, three-time European Film Award nominee and Cannes best actress winner. She recalled her first time at the festival "many years ago, I was very confused and very shy. [I thought] this was not my place." Flash forward, and Gainsbourg was back at the Grand Palais theater with Lars Von Trier's haunting 2009 film "Antichrist." The actor said she was "felt so brave with Lars transgressing with his art. So, thank you, Lars, from the bottom of my heart." Giansbourgh is currently starring in the Amazon Prime series "Ètoile." Best of Variety New Movies Out Now in Theaters: What to See This Week Emmy Predictions: Talk/Scripted Variety Series - The Variety Categories Are Still a Mess; Netflix, Dropout, and 'Hot Ones' Stir Up Buzz Oscars Predictions 2026: 'Sinners' Becomes Early Contender Ahead of Cannes Film Festival Sign up forVariety's Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us onFacebook,Twitter, andInstagram.
