Rami Malek’s “The Man I Love” Debuts at Cannes, Highlighting a Historic Oscar Milestone

“The Man I Love” opened the competition slate at the 2026 Cannes Film Festival on May 20. The world premiere placed the film alongside other international titles in the festival’s main selection, marking the first time the Oscar-winning actor has presented a new feature at Cannes.

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Set in late-1980s New York City, the drama follows theater artist Jimmy (Rami Malek) as he confronts his mortality after an AIDS diagnosis. The cast includes Tom Sturridge, Rebecca Hall and Ebon Moss-Bachrach. The picture is directed by Ira Sachs, who co-wrote the screenplay with frequent collaborator Mauricio Zacharias.

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Malek earned the Academy Award for Best Actor for his portrayal of Freddie Mercury in *Bohemian Rhapsody*. That win made him the first performer of Egyptian descent to receive the Oscar for best actor, a fact he repeatedly linked to broader immigrant experiences.

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Malek described Sachs as “an actor’s director,” emphasizing mutual trust that shaped his performance. He credited Sachs with drawing out a level of intimacy and empathy he felt he could not have achieved elsewhere, underscoring the director’s reputation for timeless, emotionally resonant work.

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“The Man I Love” continues Malek’s recent focus on queer characters, exploring the AIDS crisis through a personal lens. The film adds to contemporary cinematic portrayals of LGBTQ + lives, offering a period-specific perspective that aligns with ongoing discussions about representation in mainstream cinema.

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In a Kering Women in Motion interview, Malek expressed astonishment at the Cannes invitation, noting that the experience felt “surreal” and that he continues to “savor” the moment. He linked his personal journey to the broader immigrant narrative, stating that his Oscar win carries a sense of pride that “fills me with some sense of pride that is greater even than doing the work itself.” Regarding Sachs, Malek highlighted the director’s “canon of work” and the “great intimacy and empathy” that define his filmmaking approach.

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• “Cannes is not something I ever, ever expected. The fact we’re here right now is something I’m trying to savor. It feels a bit surreal.” — Rami Malek, Actor

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• “Ira is an actor’s director, among all the other things he can do. We believed in each other.” — Rami Malek, Actor

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• “All over the world, I think people can relate to what it feels like to be an immigrant… that comes with some weight. To be able to connect to that accomplishment in some way and hopefully inspire anyone fills me with some sense of pride that is greater even than doing the work itself.” — Rami Malek, Actor

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Following its Cannes debut, “The Man I Love” will remain in competition for the festival’s top awards. The film is slated for subsequent international screenings, positioning it for potential awards-season consideration and further dialogue on queer and immigrant representation in cinema.

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