Published: : April 11, 2025, 03:13 PM
The Cannes Film Festival has officially revealed its much-awaited 2025 line-up, hot on the heels of an impressive 2024 edition that firmly re-established Cannes as a central awards-season launchpad.
After a triumphant previous year—where Anora claimed the Palme d’Or and later took home five Oscars including Best Picture—the 78th edition of Cannes is poised to shape the cinematic narrative of the coming months. Other 2024 highlights, such as The Substance, Emilia Pérez, The Apprentice, and The Seed of the Sacred Fig, also went on to earn global accolades, reinforcing the festival’s position as a cultural trendsetter.
Festival President Iris Knobloch and General Delegate Thierry Frémaux unveiled this year’s Official Selection with a strong emphasis on artistic openness and inclusivity. Knobloch described Cannes as a platform that maintains a “dialogue with the world, embodying a France that is brave, curious and open.” This year, a record 2,909 feature films were submitted for pre-selection, and just 19 made it into the prestigious Official Competition.
The 2025 competition slate boasts an exciting mix of revered auteurs and bold newcomers. Highlights include:
Ari Aster’s Eddington starring Joaquin Phoenix, Emma Stone, and Pedro Pascal
Julia Ducournau’s Alpha – her return to Cannes after the Palme d’Or-winning Titane
Kelly Reichardt’s The Mastermind – an art-heist drama
Joachim Trier’s Sentimental Value – reuniting with The Worst Person in the World star Renate Reinsve
Richard Linklater’s Nouvelle Vague – a biopic on Jean-Luc Godard during the making of Breathless
Oliver Hermanus’ The History of Sound – a gay musical romance with Josh O’Connor and Paul Mescal
Wes Anderson will once again grace the Croisette with The Phoenician Scheme, while Cannes staples the Dardenne brothers return with Young Mothers. Notably, this year’s Opening Film is a debut feature—Partir Un Jour by Amélie Bonnin—marking a historic first for the festival. Six women directors are also competing: Reichardt, Ducournau, Carla Simón, Mascha Schilinski, Chie Hayakawa, and Hafsia Herzi.
Beyond the main competition, the Un Certain Regard section will spotlight actor-directors making their filmmaking debuts, such as Scarlett Johansson with Eleanor The Great and Harris Dickinson with Urchin. Also featured is Pillion, Harry Lighton’s A24-acquired exploration of the UK’s gay biker scene.
Out of Competition, the buzz continues with:
Rebecca Zlotowski’s Vie Privée starring Jodie Foster
The music documentary Bono: Stories of Surrender
The long-anticipated Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning – the eighth and potentially final installment in the franchise
In Cannes Premiere, expect powerful entries like Sebastián Lelio’s Spanish-language feminist musical The Wave, Raoul Peck’s thought-provoking documentary Orwell, and The Disappearance of Joseph Mengele by Russian director Kirill Serebrennikov.
While some anticipated titles—like Lynne Ramsay’s Die My Love, Jim Jarmusch’s Father Mother Sister Brother, and Kogonada’s A Big Bold Beautiful Journey—are missing from the initial line-up, more announcements are expected. In fact, just an hour after the press conference, Spike Lee confirmed via Instagram that his new film Highest 2 Lowest will indeed screen at Cannes.
With bold debuts, auteur-driven dramas, and a refreshingly diverse selection, Cannes 2025 promises to be nothing short of a cinematic spectacle.
Here is the line-up of this year’s Cannes Film Festival (for the moment):
OPENING FILM
COMPETITION
UN CERTAIN REGARD
OUT OF COMPETITION
SPECIAL SCREENINGS
CANNES PREMIERE
This year's Cannes Film Festival takes place from 13 - 25 May.
