Quentin Tarantino Steals Spotlight at Cannes with Glamorous Israeli Wife Amid Star-Studded Premiere & Rising Global Film Tensions

By: Russ Spencer

Acclaimed director Quentin Tarantino and his stunning Israeli wife Daniella Pick turned heads and warmed hearts on the red carpet of the 2024 Cannes Film Festival, where the legendary filmmaker attended as guest of honor during Tuesday’s opening night. As reported by The Daily Mail of the UK, Tarantino, 62, packed on the PDA with his glamorous wife as they arrived at the glittering premiere of Leave One Day, which also served as the festival’s official opening ceremony.

Tarantino—celebrated for cinematic masterpieces such as Pulp Fiction and Inglourious Basterds—was in Cannes not to unveil a new feature, but to pay tribute to legendary Western director George Sherman. According to the information provided in The Daily Mail report, he will also present Sherman’s rarely screened classics Le Mustang Noir (1949) and Sur le territoire des Comanches (1950), followed by an in-depth conversation with renowned critic Elvis Mitchell.

Standing beside her husband, Daniella Pick stunned in a shimmering silver sequined gown, evoking vintage Hollywood glamour. The couple, who met in 2009 during Tarantino’s promotional tour of Inglourious Basterds in Israel and wed in 2018, share two young children—five-year-old son Leo and a two-year-old daughter, whose name they have not publicly revealed, according to The Daily Mail report. Their affectionate display on the Croisette delighted photographers and drew attention to the increasingly personal dimension of Tarantino’s public appearances in recent years.

As The Daily Mail report highlighted, Tarantino has shifted his priorities in recent years, placing family life ahead of film production. During a discussion at the Sundance Film Festival in January, he told Elvis Mitchell, “When I’m in America, I’m writing. When I’m in Israel, I’m an abba,” referencing the Hebrew word for “father.” He added that he doesn’t plan to begin production on his final film until his son is old enough to remember the experience.

“I kind of want to not do whatever movie I end up doing until my son is at least six,” Tarantino said. “That way he’ll know what’s going on, he’ll be there, and it will be a memory for the rest of his life.”

As Cannes rolled out its famed red carpet, international politics cast a looming shadow over the cinematic celebration. As The Daily Mail reported, the festival is taking place in the wake of President Donald Trump’s vow to impose 100% tariffs on all films “produced in Foreign Lands.” The White House has since clarified that it is exploring alternatives, such as offering incentives for U.S.-based productions, but the threat of tariffs has rattled the international film community.

The Cannes Film Festival, often dubbed the Olympics of world cinema, was originally founded during World War II as a defiant response to the fascist-controlled Venice Film Festival. The Daily Mail reported that over the decades, it has stood as a beacon of artistic expression and global cooperation. This year, filmmakers from around the world are once again gathering not only to celebrate cinema but also to navigate uncertain political waters.

Directors such as Brazilian auteur Kleber Mendonça Filho (The Secret Agent) and Cannes veterans like Robert De Niro and Tom Cruise are all expected to feature prominently in the festival’s lineup. The report in The Daily Mail also noted that first-time filmmakers Kristen Stewart, Scarlett Johansson, and Harris Dickinson will debut their directorial efforts in the Un Certain Regard sidebar—underscoring the festival’s commitment to new voices.

Meanwhile, Johansson’s debut film Eleanor the Great is scheduled for a May 20 premiere. Cruise’s Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning, one of the most anticipated blockbusters, takes its turn on the red carpet on May 14.

Amid the cinematic glitz, however, Cannes organizers are also cracking down on the controversial trend of “naked dresses.” New modesty rules explicitly ban nudity on the red carpet or within any festival area. “For decency reasons, nudity is prohibited,” reads the official Cannes directive, as quoted by The Daily Mail. “The festival welcoming teams will be obligated to prohibit red carpet access to anyone not respecting these rules.”

Despite the political undertones and heightened scrutiny of attire, Tarantino’s presence at Cannes remains a nostalgic high point. With his storied career potentially nearing its conclusion—his next film is said to be his last—fans and colleagues alike are savoring his contributions to cinema.

In honoring George Sherman and embracing his role as a family man, Tarantino demonstrated that while he may be stepping away from the director’s chair, his impact on the world stage remains as potent as ever. And as The Daily Mail keenly observed, this year’s Cannes is not only a celebration of cinema—but a reflection of how art, politics, and personal legacy now coexist under the spotlight.