During the Cannes Film Festival, the American Pavilion is the premiere destination for networking and programming related to the American film industry. Fittingly, AmPav and IndieWire are once again devoting a day to one of the most crucial topics in the world of American entertainment: production in California.

California Day, which launched at the 2025 Cannes Film Festival, is returning to the American Pavilion this year with programming highlighting California’s status as a premiere destination for production. Many conversations will specifically focus on the passage of AB 1138 legislation that expands tax incentives for films and TV shows in the state.

“California Day brings together the people, places, and policies that make our state the most dynamic production ecosystem in the world. With the expansion of our Film and Television Tax Credit Program, we’re seeing large-scale productions return to the state that built this industry beginning over 100 years ago,” Colleen Bell, director of the California Film Commission, said in a statement. “From our world-class crews to the communities that welcome productions into their neighborhoods, California Day at Cannes is our opportunity to tell that story directly to the global filmmaking community and reinforce our belief that no one does it better than California.”

In addition to the California Film Commission, partners include  Marina del Rey Tourism Board and Film Santa Monica (Official Permitting Office for the City of Santa Monica).  Joining California day in 2026 are Chula Vista Entertainment Company (CVEC), Film Liaisons in California Statewide (FLICS) and NewFilmmakers Los Angeles (NFMLA).

“Last year’s inaugural California Day made clear how much appetite there is in the international community for an honest conversation about filming in the state. California has always been at the heart of what The American Pavilion celebrates,” Lynne Howard, SVP of Future of Filmmaking and The American Pavilion, added. “Partnering with the state’s leading film offices and tourism organizations to expand the program this year is a natural extension of our mission to connect creators with the resources and communities that bring their work to life, and Cannes is the right stage to tell that story.”

Anyone attending Cannes who is interested in American Pavilion membership can register here.