Canneseries 2026: HBO, Apple TV+ and More Gear Up for TV Festival

Canneseries 2026, the Cannes TV festival, is preparing to host a significant presence of U.S. productions, one month before the Cannes Film Festival. HBO leads the way with Richard Gadd's "Half Man," which will open the festival on April 23, and Apple TV+ will present "Star City," produced by Sony Pictures Television.

The event will feature stars like Adam Scott and Judith Light, and creatives like Noah Hawley and Leslie Linka Glatter. Disney+ is backing "Alice and Steve," while the Swedish production "Summer of 1985" will also be present, produced by Media Res and sold by Fifth Element. The presence of K-pop star Jisoo adds to the festival's appeal.

The programming of Canneseries 2026 is characterized by its diversity, with series such as "California Avenue" which will close the festival, starring Bill Nighy and Helena Bonham Carter. The event will also include conversations with figures such as Anna Winger and Ron Leshem. Albin Lewi, artistic director of Canneseries, has highlighted the presence of series with strong creative voices and the importance of innovation in project financing. The festival will present titles from Disney+, TF1 and France Televisions, in addition to sports-related programs and documentaries.

Lewi mentioned the growing trend of sports-related programming, exemplified by the documentaries "Platini" and "Cruyff", as well as the French series "I Hate Swimming". The selection includes series from Scandinavia and Spain, and panels with figures from Palestine and Israel, highlighting collaboration in series creation.

Among the featured series are Richard Gadd's "Half Man," a HBO and BBC production, which explores masculinity. Apple TV+ will present "Star City," a spin-off of "For All Mankind," produced by Sony Picture Television, which imagines the Soviet space race. AMC+ and Shudder will present "The Terror: Devil in Silver," the third installment of the horror anthology "The Terror," based on Victor LaValle's novel.

Other notable series include "Paris Police 1910", "Prisoner", and "California Avenue". The selection also includes series from Disney+ and productions from Finland, Denmark, Spain, and Canada, demonstrating the festival's diversity.

The short form competition will include productions from Canada, the Netherlands, Australia, France, and Austria, addressing topics such as social media, identity, and artificial intelligence. The documentaries presented will explore topics such as the dispute between a Swiss art dealer and a Russian billionaire, and the life of Johan Cruyff. The festival will also feature sections such as Canneseries Rendez-Vous, which will present French productions and international series.

The festival includes documentaries such as "The Oligarch and the Art Dealer" and "Cruyff", as well as fiction series such as "This Is Not a Murder Mystery". The presence of series from Korea, including "Sacred Jewel" and "All the Things You Are", highlights the diversity of the event.

Canneseries 2026 is shaping up to be a crucial event for the international television industry, with a diverse and ambitious programming that reflects the current and future trends of the sector. The festival offers a platform for the presentation of new series and the meeting of industry professionals, consolidating its importance in the television events calendar.

The festival seeks to represent inventiveness and risk, offering a diverse selection that reflects global trends. The presence of prominent figures and the variety of productions ensure an attractive event for the public and the industry.