Ara Güler: CANNES!

CANNES!* brings together photographs by legendary Turkish photographer Ara Güler taken at the Cannes Film Festival across the late 1950s and 1960s. Presented at the Ara Güler Museum in Istanbul, the exhibition offers a glimpse into the glamorous world of cinema during one of the festival’s defining eras, while also revealing the everyday moments behind the red carpet.

Featuring photographs of icons including Brigitte Bardot, Sophia Loren, Grace Kelly, Federico Fellini, Orson Welles, Jean Cocteau, Michelangelo Antonioni, Kim Novak and François Truffaut, the exhibition captures more than celebrity. Güler’s photographs reveal the atmosphere surrounding the festival — from crowded beaches and hotels along La Croisette to press conferences, film screenings, parties and spontaneous encounters between stars, photographers and fans.

The exhibition is organised around three themes: the scene, the festival and the celebrations. Alongside the photographs, visitors can see archival newspaper clippings, contact sheets, press credentials and other memorabilia from the period, offering a closer look at both Cannes’ visual history and Güler’s work as a photojournalist.

Located at the Ara Güler Museum in Istanbul’s historic Bomontiada complex, CANNES! offers an engaging experience for visitors interested in photography, cinema, cultural history and the glamorous world of classic film