arrow_back Back to all stories
article culture calendar_today Friday, May 22, 2026

Interview with French cartoonist Hugo Didier who draws the Cannes Film Festival 79

Intervista al fumettista francese Hugo Didier che disegna il Festival di Cannes 79

French cartoonist and illustrator Hugo Didier (Paris, 1993) has been commissioned to reinterpret and narrate the 79th edition of the Cannes Film Festival (May 12–23) through his drawings, which have appeared on the festival's official Instagram account. In an interview, Didier discusses how cinema influences his visual imagination, his preference for traditional drawing techniques (nib pens, Rotring technical pen, ink washes, watercolor) over digital, and his creative process that often begins with spontaneous sketches. He also reflects on the role of comics in contemporary French culture, noting their ability to explore diverse themes and reach wide audiences through a playful yet accessible medium.

This interview matters because it highlights the growing intersection between comics and high-profile cultural events like Cannes, signaling the medium's increasing legitimacy and visibility within the broader visual arts landscape. Didier's commission also underscores how traditional illustration can thrive alongside digital platforms, and his comments on comics as a vehicle for complex ideas and reportage reflect current trends in French publishing. The piece offers insight into how a younger generation of artists is bridging cinema, illustration, and social media to engage new audiences.