Cannes Film Festival 2025: Stars, Jury, Tributes... Here are 25 things to know

In a few days, film buffs and curious onlookers alike will turn their gaze to Cannes for the 78th edition of the International Film Festival. From Tuesday, May 13th to Saturday, May 24th, filmmakers and actors from around the world will walk the red carpet to screen their latest productions, always hoping to win an award. To experience the event as if you were there, here are 25 things to know about the 2025 edition of the festival.

1 Juliette Binoche, president of the jury

After nine appearances in competition and a Best Actress Award, the actress is heading the jury for the 78th official selection this year . The actress is renowned for her impressive career, with 70 films, including The English Patient and Three Colors : Blue. Her career has been marked by the Oscar and the César Award for Best Actress, as well as the Best Actress Award at the Cannes Film Festival. She is also known for her committed positions, particularly in the fight against sexist and sexual violence.

Juliette Binoche is the fifth French woman to hold this position. In the festival's history, only twelve women have held this role.

2 Halle Berry, Leïla Slimani, Hong Sang-soo... A star-studded jury

Among the members of the jury that will decide between the films in competition is American actress and director Halle Berry. The actress has brought to life diverse characters such as the prostitute Vivian in Spike Lee's Jungle Fever and Storm, superheroine in the X-Men franchise. Highly acclaimed for his performance in The Apprentice in 2024, nominated for Oscars, Golden Globes and Bafta awards, actor Jeremy Strong is also in the game. Like Italian actress Alba Rohrwacher, recently seen alongside Angelina Jolie in Maria and recognized for her acting, notably under the camera of her sister Alice Rohrwacher. Both were also awarded the Grand Prix at the Cannes Film Festival in 2014 for the film The Marvels.

The team also includes directors, such as India's Payal Kapadia, winner of the Grand Jury Prize in 2024 with her feature film All We Imagine as Light . Accustomed to presenting his films on the Croisette, the big name in South Korean cinema Hong Sang-soo, author of the feature film In Another Country with Isabelle Hupert, will take on the role of juror this time. The same goes for screenwriter, producer and director Carlos Reygadas, recipient of multiple festival awards such as best director for Post Tenedbras Lus in 2012. The films in competition will also have to convince documentary filmmaker Dieudo Hamadi, recognized by multiple festivals for his committed work on societal issues in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Literature is represented on the jury by Leïla Slimani. The Prix Goncourt winner will be able to draw on her experience in adapting her book Chanson douce for the cinema and her participation in the staging of the Olympic Games opening ceremony .

3 Laurent Lafitte returns as master of ceremonies

After making his mark on the screen in 2024, wearing a top hat, as a corrupt magistrate in The Count of Monte Cristo , Laurent Lafitte will this time take on the role of master of ceremonies at this 78th Cannes Film Festival. A position that the former resident of the Comédie-Française already held in 2016. The festival is in any case familiar to him, having walked the red carpet as director for The Origin of the World presented in the official selection in 2020.

4 Opening song with Mylène Farmer

After Zaho de Sagazan and her cover of Moderne Love in 2024, the musical opening of the festival will be entrusted to Mylène Farmer in 2025. The singer of Désenchanté will abandon her classics in favor of a new song composed for the occasion.

In addition to this surprise performance, a first since the end of her Nevermore tour in 2024, the artist will be present at the Midnight Screening for the screening of Yann Gozlan's film Dalloway . She lends her voice to an artificial intelligence, the main character of this technological thriller.

This isn't the artist's first time performing at the Louis Lumière Auditorium. In 2021, she was a member of the jury for the official selection.

5 A festival of firsts: from the opening film...

For its opening screening, the 2025 festival is focusing on a first film, Partir un jour by Amélie Bonnin, a first in the event's history.

The feature film draws inspiration from and expands on a touching short film, winner of the César Award for Short Films in 2023, to tell life stories. Here, that of Cécile, a Michelin-starred chef forced to leave Paris to return to her village when her father has health problems. To bring this story to life, the director counts on a select cast including Juliette Armanet and Bastien Bouillon in the lead roles.

6 ...choice of posters

Here too, the festival is breaking with its habits. This edition is being illustrated by not one, but two posters . It's an opportunity to showcase, for the first time, different settings from the cult scene selected.

Here, purple and red tones enhance the embrace of Jean-Louis Trintignant and Anouk Aimée in Claude Lelouch's film A Man and a Woman . Upon its release in 1966, the film was a success at Cannes, winning the Palme d'Or, and internationally.

7 Gold and Honor for Robert De Niro

Nearly sixty years of filmmaking are something to celebrate. The 2025 Cannes Film Festival is awarding Robert De Niro an honorary Palme d'Or for his contribution to the cinema. Over the years, the actor has starred in cult films such as Martin Scorsese's Taxi Driver , Brian De Palma's The Untouchables , Francis Ford Coppola's The Godfather: Part II , and Sergio Leone's Once Upon a Time in America ... the list goes on.

His performances and some of his films as a director have earned him numerous nominations and numerous awards at the Oscars, the Venice Film Festival, the Golden Globes, and the Berlinale. Robert De Niro is also a regular at the Cannes Film Festival, where he has presented multiple films in competition, the latest being Killers of the Flower Moon, presented in 2023 with Martin Scorsese.

8 Tom Cruise returns with "Mission: Impossible"

Blockbuster star Tom Cruise will be taking to the steps of Cannes in 2025 with the latest installment in the Mission: Impossible series. To introduce the film, the actor, who performed many of the stunts, will be joined by director Christopher McQuarrie. Those looking for some clues about the plot of The Final Reckoning will have to be content with this quote : " Our lives are the sum of our choices ." To unravel the mystery, we will have to wait for the team's appearance on the red carpet on the 14th. may.

9 Four juries in good hands

The Un Certain Regard jury will be chaired by London-born Molly Manning Walker. The director and photographer won the 2023 Un Certain Regard Prize for her film How to Have Sex . The feature film notably raised awareness about the issue of consent.

The Queer Palm will be awarded in 2025 by a jury led by French director and screenwriter Christophe Honoré, who will be on the Croisette in 2024 for Marcello Mio, which was screened in competition. The award, which honors films addressing LGBTQIA+ issues, will celebrate its 15th anniversary. years old this year.

Alice Rohrwacher and her jurors will award the Caméra d'Or on the 24th May at the festival's closing ceremony. The director of Heureux comme Lazarro thus succeeds the duo formed by Emmanuelle Béart and Baloji.

For its tenth year of existence, L'Oeil d'or, which rewards documentary films, will be awarded by Julie Gayet and her jury composed of Juliette Favreul Renaud, Carmen Castillo, Marci Zinga and Frédéric Maire.

10 Nicole Kidman awarded for her art and her commitment

Nicole Kidman's Women in Motion Award aims to recognize women in prominent roles in the film industry. This distinction reflects the career and values ​​of the American-Australian actress. On screen, she plays strong female characters who defy societal expectations of women. Her portrayal of novelist Virginia Wolf in 2003's The Hours made a lasting impression and earned her an Oscar for Best Actress. In 2024, she starred in the film Babygirl as Romy, a hardworking CEO who embraces her sexuality.

Working with female directors is a significant priority for the star. She has collaborated with 19 female filmmakers since the beginning of her career. Her commitment extends beyond the screen and film sets. Since 2006, she has been a UN Women Goodwill Ambassador.

11 A Golden Coach for Todd Haynes

The shower of Cannes awards also affects filmmaker Todd Haynes. As part of the Filmmakers' Fortnight, a parallel selection of the festival, he will receive the Golden Coach , a trophy awarded by the Society of Film Directors (SRF) to recognize his entire body of work. From production to direction, from short films to documentaries, Todd Haynes is an innovative jack-of-all-trades, and it works for him. His ability to address " social, racial, and gender representations" with precision and critical thinking is also praised by the SRF.

Among his impressive filmography, some films stand out, such as I'm Not There, which was noticed at the Venice Film Festival in 2007, and Velvet Goldmine, for which he was awarded at Cannes in 1998.

12 Julia Ducournau on her way to a second Palme d’Or?

Titane shocked and won over the jury at the 2021 Cannes Film Festival , bringing French actress Julia Ducournau the Palme d'Or. She became the second woman to receive the top award. With Alpha, which she is presenting in the official competition, the genre film enthusiast stars actress Mélissa Boros as a teenager with a dark life. Alongside the young woman are Iranian actress Golshifteh Farahani and Tahar Rahim.

13 Cédric Klapisch on a journey through the ages

Cédric Klapisch invited to Cannes for the first time ! The one who made us vibrate with En body or who questioned our perception of love (of oneself) with Two Me , this time proposes a change of era. The film is called The Coming of the Future and will be screened, out of competition, on the 22nd May, in Cannes, the day of its theatrical release. On screen, you will find current figures of French cinema Suzanne Lindon, Vassili Schneider, Cécile de France, Sara Giraudeau, François Berléand, Julia Piaton...

14 A Conversation About Westerns with Quentin Tarantino

The American master director is the guest of the Cannes section Classics. The one who was awarded the Palme d'Or in 1994 for Pulp Fiction will host two discussions about George Sherman's Westerns. This film genre is far from foreign to him, as evidenced by the success of Django: Unchained and The Eight. Bastards.

15 Alain Chabat, distinguished guest of the Filmmakers’ Fortnight

After conquering the Netflix platform with Asterix and Obelix : The Battle of the Chefs , it intends to extend to the Cannes Film Festival. Alain Chabat, guest of honor at the Filmmakers' Fortnight, will present a surprise film and lead a masterclass.

The actor and director, proclaimed "king of nonsense and comic elegance" by the Quinzaine des cinéastes on Instagram, will come to share his diverse experience and his humorous traits, the effectiveness of which has been confirmed by the success of his roles in La Cité de la peur or Asterix et Obélix. : Mission Cleopatra .

16 Wes Anderson returns to competition on the Croisette

It's almost a biennial rendezvous between star director Wes Anderson and the Cannes Film Festival. After presenting The French Dispatch in 2021 and Asteroid City in 2023, he returns in 2025 with The Phoneician Scheme. Using a narrator, unique framing, and pastel-like color schemes, the American filmmaker offers, in his own unique style, a fictional story about a wealthy man and his religious daughter. As always with Wes Anderson, the cast is all-star. : Benicio del Toro, Mia Threapleton, Scarlett Johansson, Tom Hanks and Michael Cera.

17 Spike Lee faithful to Cannes with a new feature film

Out of competition, the American filmmaker, author of BlacKkKlansman : I infiltrated the Ku Kux Klan , awarded at Cannes in 2018 , will introduce the public to Highest 2 Lowest. In this fiction, he tells the story of a music mogul, played by Denzel Washington, faced with a sensitive ransom demand. You can also see him on screen : Jeffrey Wright, Ilfenesh Hadera, Aubrey Joseph and rapper ASAP Rocky.

18 First films take over the festival

In addition to the opening film, 14 first productions will be screened during the fortnight at Cannes. If the official selection does not yet welcome them, this is not the case for its sisters. Among the directors, two names sound particularly familiar. First, that of Kristen Stewart. The actress who marked a generation with her role as Bella in the Twilight film series will present her first feature film , The Chronology of Water , in Un certain regard. In this same section, Scarlett Johansson, who presented Wes Anderson's Asteroid City to the Jury in 2023, will show Eleanor the Great.

19 Tribute to Pierre Richard

In Cannes, spectators will be able to see The Man Who Saw the Bear Who Saw the Man. In other words : the new feature film directed by Pierre Richard, presented in preview before its theatrical release in September 2025. The actor, director, and screenwriter will be honored by the festival during a special screening. He last walked the steps in 2023 for his participation in the opening film, Jeanne. of Barry from Maïwenn.

20 Bono in a documentary

Bono's story moves from book and theater to movie screens... In 2022, the singer of the band U2 released their biography Bono: Stories of Surrender , which has now become the title of a documentary film. It will be shown in a special screening at the Cannes Film Festival, in the presence of the artist, before being released on the 30th. May on Apple TV+.

21 The Desplat-del duo Toro reunited for the Music Lesson

Putting the love between a sea creature and a lonely woman into music and images has been a success for composer Alexandre Desplat and director Guillermo del Toro. The soundtrack for The Shape of Water won the Oscar for Best Film Music in 2018. Building on their success, the musician and filmmaker are preparing to give the Leçon de musique (Music Lesson) organized by Sacem at the Cannes Film Festival on the 18th. May 14 hours.

An important event that will celebrate the talent of the French composer who wrote the soundtracks for two films in competition in 2025 : Tarik Saleh's Eagles of the Republic and Wes Anderson's The Phoenician Scheme .

22 An immersive selection to enter the works

What if films were no longer limited to the edges of screens? This is the experience offered by the immersive selection of the Cannes Film Festival. Inaugurated during the edition 2024, this brings together 16 works in a particular format such as mapping, virtual reality videos, creations using artificial intelligence... It is in the Carlton Hotel that the jurors and members of the public will be able to be transported by the images.

As in the other selections, some works are in competition. To decide between them, directors, musicians and even authors, including Luc Jacquet, Tania de Montaigne or Laurie Anderson.

23 Diane Kurys returns with Signoret and Montand

The romance between actress and writer Simone Signoret and singer and actor Yves Montand will be the subject of the documentary presented by Diane Kurys in the Cannes section. Classics, I Who Loved You . At 76 years old, the Frenchwoman, director ( Diabolo Menthe, Cocktail Molotov ) and actress ( Le Fellini's Casanova ) is therefore not finished with cinema.

24 Celebrity Shower on the Croisette

Calling all red carpet fans, the current stars have stepped up to the plate. Paul Mescal, noted for his touchingly human and realistic performance in Normal People, will walk the steps alongside Josh O'Connor, tennis player and detestable ex-lover in Challengers . The duo are starring in The History of Sound, a romance in a historical setting created by David Oliver Heymanus, 2011 Queer laureate Palm.

Cannes Classics will welcome director Shia LaBeouf, who will present Slauson Rec , a film about a free theater school project he founded in Los Angeles. Raphaël Quenard, who starred in the opening film The Second Act in 2024, will also see his new project broadcast in this section. This is the film I Love Peru directed by Hugo David.

But we will also have to count on Scarlett Johansson, Kristen Stewart, Margaret Qualley, Chris Evans and so many others.

25 Stars on the "Papotin" microphone

Among the mass of journalists from all over the world who came to be as close as possible to the world of cinema, 18 journalists of the show " Les Rencontres du Papotin ", suffering from autism spectrum disorders, will participate in the coverage of the 78th edition of the Cannes Film Festival. They will interview multiple celebrities for a show that will air in May on France 2.