Chopard has confirmed a few key pieces of its Cannes activities.
The luxury jewelry maison, which enjoys a high-profile during the Cannes Film Festival, will present its annual Trophée Chopard ceremony at Carlton Beach on May 15, with a starry lineup that includes Isabelle Huppert as godmother and Odessa A’zion and Connor Swindells as laureates. In attendance will be Cannes leaders Iris Knobloch and Thierry Frémaux who will co-host with Chopard’s co-president and artistic director Caroline Scheufele.
As official partner of the fest since 1998, Chopard rolls out the red carpet to shine a light on the film industry’s next generation. Previous recipients of Trophée Chopard — created by Scheufele in 2001 — include Marion Cotillard, Léa Seydoux, Diane Kruger, Florence Pugh, Jessie Buckley, Adèle Exarchopoulos, Kingsley Ben-Adir, Mike Faist, Joe Alwyn and Gael García Bernal.
Huppert is a Cannes regular and two time best actress award winner for her work in Violette Nozière and The Piano Teacher. She’s back at the festival this year with Asghar Farhadi’s Parallel Tales.
“Isabelle Huppert has been a longtime friend of the maison and our bond is rooted in a deep artistic affinity,” said Scheufele. “Her role as godmother of the Trophée Chopard felt entirely natural to me, as we share the same belief in transmission and the importance of championing emerging talent.”
Added Huppert: “I am thrilled to be godmother of the Trophée Chopard. This award honors that fragile, exhilarating moment when a career is still being shaped — a time of intuition, courage and freedom. Supporting emerging actors means supporting the future of cinema itself.”
A’zion comes to the honor after a breakout year thanks to her work in Josh Safdie’s Marty Supreme opposite Timothée Chalamet, Gwyneth Paltrow and Tyler, the Creator. She’s also a series regular in Rachel Sennott’s I Love LA. Upcoming projects include Cody Fern’s Mother Courage, opposite Naomi Watts and Sarah Paulson, and Justine Triet’s Fonda. Previous credits include Sitting in Bars with Cake, Fresh Kills, Pools, Grand Army, Hellraiser and She Rides Shotgun.
British actor Swindells had a breakout role as Adam Groff in Netflix’s global phenomenon Sex Education. He moves seamlessly between TV and film, period dramas, contemporary cinema and large-scale productions. His credits include Emma, The Vanishing, Steven Knight’s SAS Rogue Heroes, William Tell and Greta Gerwig’s billion dollar smash Barbie. He next appears in Ruben Östlund’s anticipated The Entertainment System Is Down and Kayleigh Llewellyn’s The Dreamlands.
“The Trophée Chopard means a great deal to me. It’s not just recognition, but a reminder of the people and moments that have shaped my career so far. To receive it at the Cannes Film Festival, a place where cinema is so deeply celebrated, makes it feel even more special. It’s something I’ll carry with me as I continue to grow and keep chasing the kind of work I believe in,” said Swindells.
