Her name may not be familiar to the general public at a time when the world’s most popular celebrities are walking the red carpet. Yet, since 2022, Iris Knobloch has served as president of one of the biggest events in cinema: the Cannes Film Festival. The 79th edition begins on May 12.
Born in 1963 in Munich, Iris Knobloch is the daughter of German politician Charlotte Knobloch. At the time, the young woman does not turn naturally to cinema but to law. She studied law at the Ludwig-Maximilian University in Munich and obtained her doctorate there, while also completing a Master of Laws degree at the University of New York. While she was a lawyer at Norr, Stiefenhofer & Lutz and O’Melveny & Myers in Munich but also in the USA in Los Angeles and New York, her career took a new turn in 1996.
A long career at Warner Bros
At the age of 33, Iris Knobloch took her first steps in cinema with Warner Bros, a company specializing in film production. After 10 years in several management positions, she is appointed president of Warner Bros France. She achieved a masterful feat by distributing the film at the 5 Oscars, The Artist, with Jean Dujardin and Bérénice Bejo. In 2020, she took over as president of Warner Media for France, Germany, Benelux, Austria and Switzerland.
In 2021, the businesswoman founded I2PO, an acronym for “Iris, Pinault, Pigasse, Organisation”, alongside the Pinault family and banker Matthieu Pigasse. The company takes the form of a Special Purpose Acquisition Company (SPAC), which is created solely for the purpose of raising funds on the stock exchange to acquire or merge with another private company. In 2022, the entertainment company merged with Deezer.
Her debut at the Cannes Film Festival
Thanks to this experience, she took on a new role in March 2022, not least in the film industry. Iris Knobloch becomes president of the mythical Cannes Film Festival, succeeding Pierre Lescure. His role is clear: to represent the institution internationally, supervise strategic governance and collaborate with the delegate general (currently Thierry Frémaux) on the main orientations of the event.
His term of office is three years and is renewed in January 2025. Re-elected unanimously for a second time, Iris Knobloch will cover the 2026, 2027 and 2028 editions. “I am proud of the success of the last two editions and look forward to continuing this commitment alongside our General Delegate Thierry Frémaux and our teams for years to come,” she said in a statement a few months ago.
In the same communiqué, Iris Knobloch was praised for her attachment to European values and her commitment to defending cinema both in France and internationally. The institution also recognizes its “modern vision” and its support for diversity and innovation in creative industries.
A commitment to women
“I would also like to reaffirm my commitment to making the festival a place of equality and recognition for all, with special attention paid to women so that they can shine a light on their incredible creativity.” The first woman to hold the position of president of the Cannes Film Festival, Iris Knobloch was very quickly distinguished by her feminist values.
The 2025 Cannes Film Festival placed a special focus on women. Juliette Binoche served as jury president, while four women chaired the four juries. Not to mention that seven films directed by women were in competition. Already, for the 2024 edition, a symbolic photo bringing together nearly 100 women who are victims of gender-based and sexual violence was taken on the steps of the Palais des Festivals.
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The 79th edition, taking place from May 12 to 23, celebrates international diversity and emerging talent with eight debut films in the official selection (compared to 14 last year) and 141 countries represented. The goal? To convey messages and reveal diverse worldviews. It is worth noting that five female directors will be in competition, including, on the French side, Jeanne Herry, Léa Mysius, and Charline Bourgeois-Tacquet.
Iris Knobloch received the insignia of Commander of the Order of the Arts and Letters, from the hands of the Minister of Culture Rachida Dati, in parallel with the Cannes Film Festival. An award that salutes his involvement in cinema and his support for the talents of the 7th art.
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Featured photo : Iris Knobloch © Olivier Vigerie – Cannes Festival
