Twenty years after its initial mesmerizing debut, Guillermo del Toro's acclaimed film, "Pan's Labyrinth," is set to return to the Cannes Film Festival. The masterpiece will inaugurate the 2026 Cannes Classics program with a special pre-opening 4K restoration screening on May 12 in the Debussy Theater. This return marks a significant moment, recalling its 2006 international premiere at Cannes where it garnered a historic 22-minute standing ovation, the longest in the festival's history. Director Guillermo del Toro meticulously supervised every stage of this new 4K restoration from the original 35mm negative and is expected to attend the event, emphasizing the careful preservation of his cinematic vision.

The comprehensive 2026 Cannes Classics lineup, featuring 21 restored features, three short films, six documentaries, and two contemporary works, will be dedicated to the memory of the late production designer Dean Tavoularis. Tavoularis, a frequent collaborator with Francis Ford Coppola on iconic films like "The Godfather" and "Apocalypse Now," passed away last month in France. Screenings for the program will take place across various venues including the Buñuel Theater, the Agnès Varda Theater, and at the Cinéma de la Plage, offering a broad spectrum of cinematic history to audiences.

The selection of restored prints spans over eight decades of world cinema, showcasing global cinematic heritage. Notable highlights include Akira Kurosawa’s 1943 debut “Sugata Sanshiro,” presented in 4K by Toho with a newly reintegrated 12-minute sequence that had been missing since its first release. Chen Kaige’s 1993 epic “Farewell My Concubine” also returns in a new 4K version, with lead actor Gong Li scheduled to attend. Other significant restorations include Jerzy Skolimowski’s 1982 British film “Moonlighting” (with Skolimowski present), Giuseppe Patroni Griffi’s 1968 Italian production “Love Circle” (represented by screenwriter Dario Argento), Ken Russell’s 1971 horror film “The Devils” (a 4K restoration from Warner Bros.), Andrzej Wajda’s 1981 Polish film “Man of Iron” (in its original aspect ratio), and Orson Welles’ 1945 thriller “The Stranger” (restored by the Cinémathèque française and the Library of Congress). French wartime drama “Sierra de Teruel” (Espoir) by André Malraux, Vittorio De Sica’s 1960 Italian drama “Two Women,” Luchino Visconti’s 1976 final film “The Innocent,” Jean Delannoy’s 1946 French drama “Pastoral Symphony,” and Paula Delsol’s 1964 French film “The Drift” further enrich the program. International cinema is also well-represented with John Abraham’s 1986 Indian film “Amma Ariyan,” Yang Li-Kuo’s 1989 Taiwanese film “The Dull-Ice Flower,” Idrissa Ouedraogo’s 1990 Burkinabé drama “Tilaï,” Leopoldo Torre Nilsson’s 1957 Argentine feature “The House of Angel,” Maria Plyta’s 1953 Greek drama “Eva,” Roger Corman’s 1958 American gangster picture “Machine Gun Kelly,” and the 1955 Belgian film “Seagulls Die in the Harbour,” with Matthias Schoenaerts attending.

The documentary strand, which will compete for the L’Œil d’Or award, features several compelling new works. Mark Cousins presents the latest chapter in his history of non-fiction film with “The Story of Documentary Film (The 70s).” Mike Mendez’s “Dernsie: The Amazing Life of Bruce Dern,” an in-depth portrait built from over 50 hours of conversation, will screen with both Bruce Dern and his daughter Laura Dern in attendance. Barnaby Thompson’s “Maverick: The Epic Adventures of David Lean” features narration by Cate Blanchett (who also produced) and Kenneth Branagh as Lean, with Blanchett expected to attend. Other documentaries include Francesco Zippel’s “Vittorio De Sica – Staging Life,” Michel Denisot, Camille Bruere, and Julie Lazare’s “My Coluche,” and Brecht Debackere’s “Nostalgia for the Future,” narrated by Charlotte Rampling. Additionally, the collected short films of Armenian director Artavazd Pelechian, spanning 1966 to 1975, will be presented with Pelechian himself attending.

The short film program includes Jia Zhangke‘s 32-minute Italy-China co-production “Torino Shadow” (with lead actor Zhao Tao), Dustin Yellin’s 15-minute “Goodnight Lamby” (produced by Darren Aronofsky and starring Paul Rudd), and Amirhossein Shojaei’s “Playground.” Two contemporary feature selections round out the program: Béranger Thouin’s debut fiction “The Golden Age,” a portrait of a woman navigating 20th-century Europe and South America, and Jean-Gabriel Périot’s documentary “A Life, A Manifesto,” tracing the story of critic and revolutionary activist Michèle Firk. Both directors and their principal collaborators are expected in Cannes.

“Pan’s Labyrinth” itself is a dark fairy tale set against the brutal backdrop of fascist-controlled Spain in 1944. The story follows young Ofelia (Ivana Baquero) as she navigates a treacherous new reality with her pregnant mother and sadistic stepfather, Captain Vidal (Sergi López), a staunch devotee of General Franco. While Vidal hunts local Maquis insurgents, unaware of his housekeeper Mercedes’ (María Verdú) involvement with them, Ofelia escapes into a fantastical underworld. There, she encounters the mysterious Faun (Doug Jones), who believes her to be the reincarnation of the lost Princess Moanna. To reclaim her rightful place, Ofelia must undergo three dangerous trials, confronting bizarre and terrifying creatures, most notably the child-eating Pale Man (also played by Doug Jones). The film masterfully intertwines these fantastical horrors with the grim realities of war, making the collision of worlds a central theme.

Upon its initial release on January 19, 2007, “Pan’s Labyrinth” was critically acclaimed and resonated deeply with audiences. This War Drama Fantasy film has a runtime of 118 minutes, was directed and written by Guillermo del Toro, and features a memorable cast including Ivana Baquero, Sergi López, Ariadna Gil, Doug Jones, and María Verdú. The theatrical re-release this fall will allow new and old fans to experience its enduring power.