78th Cannes Film Festival to be Headed by Juliette Binoche
The prestigious event will feature a focus on women's representation with a diverse lineup of films.
The 78th Cannes Film Festival is set to take place from May 13 to May 24, 2025, under the presidency of French actress Juliette Binoche.
The festival will feature a selection of around fifty films, amidst a backdrop of heightened discourse regarding women's roles in the film industry, especially following the publication of a report by the national assembly on violence in the cinema sector on April 9, 2025. Iris Knobloch, the festival president, emphasized that the situation of women will be central to this edition.
In addition to Binoche leading the jury, six female directors are vying for the prestigious Palme d'Or out of a total of 19 feature films.
Notable contenders include Julia Ducournau, who previously won the Palme d'Or in 2021 for her film _Titane_ and returns with her new work _Alpha_, featuring Golshifteh Farahani and Tahar Rahim.
Hafsia Herzi, known for directing _Tu mérites un amour_ (2019), will present _La Petite Dernière_, while American Kelly Reichardt will showcase _Mastermind_ after her participation in 2022 with _Showing Up_.
Spanish director Carla Simon, who won the Golden Bear at Berlin for _Alcarras_ (2022), will premiere _Romeria_, and newcomers include German Masha Selinski with _Sound of Falling_ and Japanese Chie Hayakawa with _Renoir_.
Among the 21 directors in competition, many are established figures in the film community.
Belgian directors Jean-Pierre and Luc Dardenne, past winners of two Palme d'Or awards, will return with _Jeunes mères_.
Norwegian filmmaker Joachim Trier, previously nominated in 2021, will present _Sentimental Value_ with Renate Reinsve in the cast.
Iranian director Jafar Panahi, recipient of the Golden Bear for _Taxi Téhéran_ (2015), is also returning with _Un simple accident_.
Wes Anderson, a previous attendee at Cannes with films such as _Asteroid City_ and _The French Dispatch_, will showcase _The Phoenician Scheme_, starring Benicio del Toro.
Additional returning directors include Sergei Loznitsa from Ukraine with _Deux procureurs_, Brazilian Kleber Mendonça Filho with _L’Agent secret_, Italian Mario Martone with _Fuori_, and Swedish Tarik Saleh with _Les Aigles de la République_.
French director Dominik Moll will present _Dossier 137_ alongside Léa Drucker.
The lineup also features newcomers such as Spanish Oliver Laxe with _Sirat_, South African Oliver Hermanus with _The History of Sound_, and American Ari Aster, presenting _Eddington_ with Emma Stone and Joaquin Phoenix.
Notably, Richard Linklater will screen _Nouvelle Vague_, inspired by the works of Jean-Luc Godard.
Festival delegate Thierry Frémaux indicated that from a total of 2,909 films viewed for selection, 38% were directed by women and 62% by men.
A special honor will be awarded to Robert De Niro, who won the Palme d'Or in 1976 for _Taxi Driver_, directed by Martin Scorsese.
Tom Cruise is set to appear out of competition with _Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning_, directed by Christopher McQuarrie.
The festival's opening ceremony will be hosted by Mylène Farmer.
The festival will feature a selection of around fifty films, amidst a backdrop of heightened discourse regarding women's roles in the film industry, especially following the publication of a report by the national assembly on violence in the cinema sector on April 9, 2025. Iris Knobloch, the festival president, emphasized that the situation of women will be central to this edition.
In addition to Binoche leading the jury, six female directors are vying for the prestigious Palme d'Or out of a total of 19 feature films.
Notable contenders include Julia Ducournau, who previously won the Palme d'Or in 2021 for her film _Titane_ and returns with her new work _Alpha_, featuring Golshifteh Farahani and Tahar Rahim.
Hafsia Herzi, known for directing _Tu mérites un amour_ (2019), will present _La Petite Dernière_, while American Kelly Reichardt will showcase _Mastermind_ after her participation in 2022 with _Showing Up_.
Spanish director Carla Simon, who won the Golden Bear at Berlin for _Alcarras_ (2022), will premiere _Romeria_, and newcomers include German Masha Selinski with _Sound of Falling_ and Japanese Chie Hayakawa with _Renoir_.
Among the 21 directors in competition, many are established figures in the film community.
Belgian directors Jean-Pierre and Luc Dardenne, past winners of two Palme d'Or awards, will return with _Jeunes mères_.
Norwegian filmmaker Joachim Trier, previously nominated in 2021, will present _Sentimental Value_ with Renate Reinsve in the cast.
Iranian director Jafar Panahi, recipient of the Golden Bear for _Taxi Téhéran_ (2015), is also returning with _Un simple accident_.
Wes Anderson, a previous attendee at Cannes with films such as _Asteroid City_ and _The French Dispatch_, will showcase _The Phoenician Scheme_, starring Benicio del Toro.
Additional returning directors include Sergei Loznitsa from Ukraine with _Deux procureurs_, Brazilian Kleber Mendonça Filho with _L’Agent secret_, Italian Mario Martone with _Fuori_, and Swedish Tarik Saleh with _Les Aigles de la République_.
French director Dominik Moll will present _Dossier 137_ alongside Léa Drucker.
The lineup also features newcomers such as Spanish Oliver Laxe with _Sirat_, South African Oliver Hermanus with _The History of Sound_, and American Ari Aster, presenting _Eddington_ with Emma Stone and Joaquin Phoenix.
Notably, Richard Linklater will screen _Nouvelle Vague_, inspired by the works of Jean-Luc Godard.
Festival delegate Thierry Frémaux indicated that from a total of 2,909 films viewed for selection, 38% were directed by women and 62% by men.
A special honor will be awarded to Robert De Niro, who won the Palme d'Or in 1976 for _Taxi Driver_, directed by Martin Scorsese.
Tom Cruise is set to appear out of competition with _Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning_, directed by Christopher McQuarrie.
The festival's opening ceremony will be hosted by Mylène Farmer.
