The film “Partir un Jour”, directed by Amelie, will have the honor of opening (out of competition) the 78th Cannes Film Festival. But don’t be fooled by the title — no one’s leaving. Everyone’s arriving for this whirlwind of cinephile magic on the Croisette. The real buzz is around the Cannes 2025 Lineup and the incredible stars arriving. The most glamorous international film festival is ready to roll out the red carpet… and it’s going to be on fire!
Hollywood Royalty Arrives at Cannes 2025
Why? Because Hollywood royalty is already on the guest list. Robert De Niro, Denzel Washington, Benicio del Toro, and Spike Lee (TBC, for his upcoming film Highest 2 Lowest) are expected. Even Tom Cruise himself will be there for the premiere of Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning (out of competition). That’s the Cannes magic. Blockbusters rub shoulders with indie gems. Cinematic pearls are discovered and shared with the world.
Cannes Film Festival: A Celebration of Cinema
It’s in this spirit — inclusive, curious, and bold — that Cannes has built its legendary reputation over the past 78 years. Every kind of film, from every genre, has a place here. However, it must meet the high bar of cinematic quality and storytelling excellence needed to land a spot in competition.
This year, the festival is steered by Iris Knobloch, Festival President. The ever-passionate Thierry Fremaux is the General Delegate (and President of the Institut Lumière in Lyon). They officially unveiled the Official Selection of the 78th Cannes Film Festival. This happened during the much-awaited press conference on April 10, 2025.
Behind the Scenes: Cannes Film Festival Stats
The list is out. Twenty-two films are now officially competing for the prestigious Palme d’Or. There are also side selections, special screenings, and surprises galore. Get ready for a two-week cinematic rollercoaster on the Croisette. It runs from May 13 to 24, 2025.
At the press conference, Thierry Fremaux underlined the titanic work done by the selection committee this year. They watched no less than 2,909 films. Then they narrowed the list down to just over twenty. That’s one-third of all the films produced globally this spring. This is a testament to the fierce creative energy flowing across the world.
On the gender front: 68% of selected films were directed by men, and 32% by women. This shows progress, even if we’re not yet at full parity.
More impressively, almost half of the selected films — 1,127 to be exact — are first features. This highlights the daring, ambition, and passion of emerging filmmakers from across the globe.
Cannes Celebrates 130 Years of Cinema
Among these works—representing one third of the world’s film production for spring 2025—this highlights the vitality of cinematic creation. The Cannes Festival, now in its 78th year, has become the world’s most prestigious and unmissable rendezvous. One hundred fifty-six countries are represented this year. These range from Egypt to Chile, including France, Belgium, Italy, Denmark, the United States of America, Brazil, Germany, Spain, Iran, Japan, Sweden, Egypt, and even Ukraine!
Among the films viewed by the selection committee…
And this edition is extra special. It marks the 130th anniversary of cinema. Cinema was born in Lyon, France. The Lumière brothers invented the cinematograph. As a tribute, Thierry Fremaux presented his latest documentary “Lumière, l’aventure continue” on March 14 at the Cinematheque française in Paris. Costa-Gavras (a Cannes Serial prizewinner) and Irene Jacob, President of the Cinematheque, also attended. The screening was warmly received. Film professionals gave a heartfelt ovation. French Culture Minister Rachida Dati and CNC President Gael Bruel offered congratulations.
The 100-minute documentary is brilliantly narrated by Fremaux himself. It dives into restored Lumière films with humor and historical depth. This honors the roots of cinema while celebrating its enduring magic.
Cannes: A Global Platform for Filmmakers
Finally, Iris Knobloch reminded us of the festival’s founding mission, born in 1939. It is to offer filmmakers from all over the world a platform for artistic expression. France, she emphasized, remains and will always be a welcoming land for artists and cultures from every corner of the globe.
Cannes 2025 is definitely the one-of-a-kind, global celebration of cinema, storytelling, and creative cultural fire. See you on the red carpet or at La Croisette!
The Happy Few: Cannes Film Festival Competition Shortlist
- THE PHOENICIAN SCHEME By Wes Anderson, Texas/ USA
- EDDINGTON By Ari Aster from New York/ USA,
- JEUNES MÈRES by the Belgian brothers, Jean-Pierre and Luc Dardenne
- ALPHA By French Julia Ducournau
- RENOIR By Japanese Hayakawa Chie
- THE HISTORY OF SOUND By Oliver Hermanus born in South Africa
- LA PETITE DERNIÈRE directed By Iranian Comedian, Hafsia Herzi
- SIRAT By Oliver Laxe from France
- NEW WAVE by Richard Linklater, from Texas/USA
- TWO PROSECUTORS By Sergei Loznitsa Bielorussian, Ukraine
- FUORI directed by Italian Mario Martone,
- O SECRETO AGENTE (THE SECRET AGENT) By Kleber Mendonça Filho, from Brasil
- DOSSIER 137 directed by French Dominik Moll
- UN SIMPLE ACCIDENT directed by Iranian Jafar Panahi
- THE MASTERMIND By American (Miami) Kelly Reichardt
- AIGLES OF THE REPUBLIC By Swedish Egyptian Tarik Saleh
- SOUND OF FALLING By German Mascha Schilinski
- ROMERÍA By Carla Simón, from Spain
- SENTIMENTAL VALUE By Joachim Trier from Denmark
UN CERTAIN REGARD COMPETITION
- LA MISTERIOSA MIRADA DEL FLAMENCO (THE MYSTERIOUS GAZE OF THE FLAMINGO) by Diego Céspedes for his first feature
- MÉTÉORS directed by Hubert Charuel
- MY FATHER’S SHADOW by Akinola Davies Jr for his first feature
- L’INCONNU DE LA GRANDE ARCHE By Stéphane Demoustier
- URCHIN By Harris Dickinsonm 1st film
- HOMEBOUND by Neeraj Ghaywan
- TÔI YAMANAMINO HIKARI (A PALE VIEW OF HILLS) by shikawa Kei
- ELEANOR THE GREAT by Scarlett Johansson for her 1st film as a director
- KARAVAN by Zuzana Kirchnerová, for her 1st film
- PILLION by Harry Lighton for his 1st film
- AISHA CAN’T FLY AWAY By Morad Mostafa for his 1st film
- ONCE UPON A TIME IN GAZA By Arab and Tarzan Nasser
- THE PLAGUE by Charlie Polinger for his 1st film
- PROMISED SKY By Erige Sehiri
- LE CITTÀ DI PIANURA (THE LAST ONE FOR THE ROAD) By Francesco Sossai
- TESTA O CROCE? (HEADS OR TAILS?) By Matteo Zoppis, Alessio Rigo de Righi
OUT OF COMPETITION
- COLOURS OF TIME by French Cédric Klapisch
- LA FEMME LA PLUS RICHE DU MONDE By Thierry Klifa
- MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE – THE FINAL RECKONING By Christopher McQuarrie
- VIE PRIVÉE by Rebecca Zlotowski
MIDNIGHT SCREENINGS
- DALLOWAY By Yann Gozlan
- EXIT 8 By Kawamura Genki
- FENG LIN HUO SHAN (SONS OF THE NEON NIGHT) By Mak Juno
CANNES PREMIERES
- AMRUM By Fatih Akin
- SPLITSVILLE by Michael Angelo Covino
- LA OLA (THE WAVE) by Sebastián Lelio
- CONNEMARA By Alex Lutz
- ORWELL : 2+2=5 By Raoul Peck
- DAS VERSCHWINDEN DES JOSEF MENGELE (THE DISAPPEARANCE OF JOSEF MENGELE) By Kirill Serebrennikov
SPECIAL SCREENINGS
- STORIES OF SURRENDER By Bono
- TELL HER THAT I LOVE HER By Romane Bohringer
- A MAGNIFICENT LIFE by Sylvain Chomet
