Glasses have always had a special relationship with cinema. Worn by actors both on and off set, they have helped build the image of some stars, embedding them in the collective imagination and legend. Originally, they were mainly used to shield from photographers’ flashes, a symbolic barrier placed between oneself and others, creating a physical distance from one’s gaze and eyes, thus generating that aura of mystery that usually surrounds celebrities. Even today, during film festivals, stars often wear sunglasses for reasons simple yet universal: they complete the look, boost confidence, emphasise personality and enhance charisma. On set, they become keys to interpreting crucial scenes or better defining characters, while personal stories often intertwine with cinematic ones.

This was evident at the latest, 78th Cannes Film Festival, where actors and personalities, both famous and lesser-known, frequently sported sunglasses. Among them was Iranian director Jafar Panahi, winner of the Palme d’Or with the film A Simple Accident, who never parted from his sunglasses, not even when receiving the prestigious award from Juliette Binoche. One of the festival’s standout revelations was undoubtedly the very young Mia Threapleton, making her debut in the film The Phoenician Scheme, marking the highly anticipated return to cinema of visionary director Wes Anderson. Daughter of actress Kate Winslet and director Jim Threapleton, she masterfully played the role of Sister Liesl. While clutching a precious rosary on set, specially commissioned by Wes Anderson from Cartier, she walked the red carpet sporting a bold pair of Alexander McQueen acetate sunglasses adorned with studs of various sizes (in the opening photo), paired with diamond-studded skull earrings, also by Alexander McQueen.
The film’s lead, Benicio Del Toro as Anatole “Zsa Zsa” Korda, wore Bottega Veneta glasses, as did Julianne Moore, who attended the film’s premiere in a sophisticated Bottega Veneta evening gown.

Among the Festival’s key side events was the “Lights on Women’s Worth Award,” organised by L’Oréal Paris to support women filmmakers and encourage their artistic journeys. Juror Viola Davis arrived in Cannes wearing a head-to-toe Max Mara look completed by the MM0119 Jean sunglasses, crafted from acetate and metal with bold, decisive lines and tubular arms inspired by Eileen Gray’s design. Meanwhile, Isabelle Huppert, portraying Liliane Bettencourt in Thierry Klifa’s The Richest Woman in the World, dared to wear a full Balenciaga denim outfit with her jacket worn inside out, complemented by sunglasses. Raphaël Personnaz, part of the same cast, sported the Columba model by Akoni, inspired by the West Coast.

For Tramell Tillman, aka Captain Jack Biedsoe, choosing sunglasses was surely no “Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning,” as he opted for a classic Cartier model. Ethereal Elle Fanning, lead in Joachim Trier’s Sentimental Value, wore oversized Chloé sunglasses paired with a t-shirt and bandana, perfectly capturing a 1970s vibe. Naturally, Cannes saw its share of Gucci devotees, including Emily Ratajkowski and Dakota Johnson. The latter, star of Michael Angelo Covino’s Splitsville, wore a model subtly featuring one of the brand’s most iconic and recognisable symbols on the arms: the Web stripe. Among the jury members, Halle Berry stood out, wearing Alexandre Vauthier couture jacket and trousers paired with Saint Laurent sunglasses.

The stage lights eventually dimmed, but those images remain indelibly etched in memory. See you next year, from 12 to 23 May 2026. At the Croisette, of course…