Cannes Film Festival 2025: the 78th edition kicks off today

Cannes Film Festival 2025: the 78th edition takes place from May 13 to 24 with a rich and international program, reaffirming its status as one of the most prestigious and eagerly awaited film events of the year.

French actress Juliette Binoche will preside over the Main Competition jury, returning to Cannes forty years after her first appearance on the Croisette. “It’s an honor and a responsibility,” she said, highlighting her deep connection with the Festival, which she considers part of her artistic roots.

Opening, Italy in the spotlight, and the juries

The opening film is Leave One Day, the directorial debut of Amélie Bonnin. Italy is competing with Fuori by Mario Martone, featuring a notable cast including Valeria Golino, Matilda De Angelis, and Elodie. Italy is also represented by Alice Rohrwacher, who will chair the Caméra d’Or jury, which awards the best first film. Her sister, actress Alba Rohrwacher, will serve on the Main Competition jury.

International guests and anticipated films

Many big names are expected on the red carpet:

• Jodie Foster stars in Vie Privée, a thriller by Rebecca Zlotowski.

• Josh O’Connor appears in The Mastermind by Kelly Reichardt and The History of Sound by Oliver Hermanus, alongside Paul Mescal.

• The cast of Eddington by Ari Aster includes Joaquin Phoenix, Emma Stone, Pedro Pascal, and Austin Butler.

• Wes Anderson returns with The Phoenician Scheme, featuring a stellar cast: Benicio del Toro, Michael Cera, Tom Hanks, Bryan Cranston, Scarlett Johansson (also directing Eleonor the Great), Benedict Cumberbatch, and Riz Ahmed.

Awards and ceremonies

The Festival will be officially opened by the legendary Robert De Niro, who will receive the Honorary Palme d’Or. French actor and director Laurent Lafitte will serve as the master of ceremonies, succeeding Camille Cottin.

Festival sections and featured films

Beyond the Main Competition, the Festival includes numerous sections:

• Un Certain Regard, with a jury chaired by Molly Manning Walker.

• Out of Competition, featuring major films such as Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning by McQuarrie and Highest 2 Lowest by Spike Lee.

• Cannes Première, Special Screenings, Midnight Screenings, Cinéfondation, Cannes Classics, and Documentaries.

Among the films in Competition:
Sentimental Value by Joachim Trier, Romeria by Carla Simon, The Eagles of the Republic by Tarik Saleh, Sirat by Oliver Laxe, Alpha by Julia Ducournau, Young Mothers by the Dardenne brothers, Mother and Child by Saeed Roustaee, and Nouvelle Vague by Richard Linklater.

Italian titles in the program

In addition to Fuori, Italy is also present in the short film section with Testa o croce? by Alessio Rigo de Righi and Matteo Zoppis, and Le città di pianura by Francesco Sossai. Furthermore, Un poeta by Simón Mesa Soto and Love Me Tender by Anna Cazenave Cambet enrich the Italian presence.

Official poster and Festival message

For the first time in its history, Cannes 2025 presents two official posters, taken from A Man and a Woman by Claude Lelouch, winner of the Palme d’Or in 1966. Featuring Anouk Aimée and Jean-Louis Trintignant, the posters celebrate union, love, and tenderness, sending a message of humanity and unity in an age of division.

Cannes Film Festival 2025: A Timeless Embrace in Two Posters

Parallel sections and cinematic heritage

The Directors’ Fortnight and Critics’ Week sections highlight films by emerging filmmakers from around the world.
Cannes Classics honors great cinema with restorations and special screenings, including Chaplin’s The Gold Rush and Kubrick’s Barry Lyndon. Quentin Tarantino will also present two films by director George Sherman.

The 2025 edition of the Cannes Film Festival promises to be rich with new discoveries, notable returns, and fresh voices, reaffirming its role as a global beacon for auteur cinema.