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Peugeot Presented THE ELECTRIC KISS —the Opening Film for Cannes 2026—at the 24th FICM

Omar Sosa

Thanks to Peugeot Mexico, and with their director Andrea González Hanson in attendance, a screening of The Electric Kiss (2026, dir. Pierre Salvadori)—the opening film of the 79th Cannes Film Festival—was held at the 24th Morelia International Film Festival (FICM). The event brought together Daniela Michel, founder and director of FICM, and Sandrine Dumas, French actress and producer of the film who also served as a member of the 24th FICM’s International Panel of Experts. Also in attendance were actors Nicolás Haza and Edu Maruri, both Peugeot ambassadors.

Delphine Borione, Ambassador of France to Mexico; Jean-François Guéganno, Director of the French Institute of Latin America (IFAL) and Cultural Counselor at the French Embassy in Mexico; and Fabienne Aguado, Audiovisual Attaché and head of Cultural and Creative Industries at IFAL were also in the audience.

Michel expressed what an honor it is for the festival to have Peugeot—"a French brand of such renown and importance"—participate in the 24th FICM on the same year marking the bicentennial of diplomatic relations between France and Mexico.

González Hanson noted that the relationship between cinema and the automotive sector is closer than is generally believed: "At Peugeot, what interests and matters to us most is generating emotions—and, above all, being able to enjoy the journey in good company"—which is also something that cinema tries to achieve. She also highlighted Peugeot’s presence at the César Awards, the Cannes Film Festival, the Venice Film Festival (for the first time this year), and now, the Morelia International Film Festival.

Dumas expressed her gratitude to the festival for providing a platform for this film, and to Daniela Michel for her work in making FICM happen.

The filmmaker read a message that Salvadori sent to the Morelia audience: “Thank you for being here. Thank you to the festival organizers for the honor of hosting my film. We are not living in a very cheerful era, and in times like these, it becomes increasingly difficult to summon the energy, faith, and optimism required to craft a comedy. It can sometimes be a bit disheartening. Yet, I often recall my father’s words, who used to tell me: ‘Comedies help us live—not for ten years, or even two months, but for two hours.’ That is what drives my work: the desire to convey a sense of happiness—or an almost physical pleasure—to the audience. That, combined with my profound love for cinema, for fiction, and for the art of *mise-en-scène*. I hope that this film—if only for a fleeting moment—might bring a bit of happiness and pleasure to you, thousands of miles away. Once again, thank you to the festival, thank you to all of you in the audience for being here, and thank you to everyone who helped me bring this film to life. And thank you, Sandrine, for agreeing to read these words tonight.”

Additionally, before the screening began, Dumas asked the audience to pose for a photo to share with the French director.

The Electric Kiss is set in Paris in 1928. It follows Antoine Balestro, a young, fashionable painter who has been unable to work since the death of his wife. One night, while intoxicated, Antoine attempts to contact his late wife through a fortune-teller; however, he is actually speaking with Suzanne—a circus performer and a highly talented impostor—who, along with her associate Armand, begins staging a series of fraudulent séances.