Cannes Film Festival 2025
Premieres & Screenings
Monday the 19th
Alpha
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The second week at the festival this year kicked off in bold homegrown style when one of France’s most daring modern writer/directors and previous Palme d’Or winner Julia Ducournau returned to the official competition, flanked by her stars Arnaud Chautard, Louai El Amrousy, Emma Mackey, Mélissa Boros, Tahar Rahim, Golshifteh Farahani and Finnegan Oldfield plus producers Jean-Rachid Kallouche and Nicolas Altmayer for the premiere of their intense coming-of-age drama ‘Alpha’.
The unflinching and tense tale of a troubled French 13-year-old girl, whose life with her concerned single mom is thrown into turmoil and danger when she comes home from school with an arm tattoo which changes the course of her life and threatens to seal her fate. ‘Alpha’ has no confirmed dates yet.
Alpha press conference (courtesy of Festival de Cannes)
Eagles of the Republic (Les Aigles de la République)
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Monday’s second official competition screening welcomed Arabic cinema by way of a Franco-Swedish production to the Riviera, and brought Swedish writer/director Tarik Saleh back to the festival accompanied by his muse Fares Fares and his co-stars Cherien Dabis, Amr Waked, Lyna Khoudri, Zineb Triki, Alexandre Desplat, Ahmed Khairy and Linda Mutawi for the premiere of his latest character drama study of his roots ‘Eagles of the Republic’.
The fictional political drama tale of actor George El-Nabawi, Egypt’s biggest star whose dramatic fall from grace when he falls foul of the authorities plunges him into desperation, and forces him into accepting a shady offer he can’t refuse. ‘Eagles of the Republic’ is out in Sweden on the 14th of November.
Eagles of the Republic press conference (courtesy of Festival de Cannes)
Highest 2 Lowest
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The pick of Monday’s other screenings was a gala out-of-competition affair which brought an American visionary back to the festival, as legendary NYC director Spike Lee walked the Cannes red carpet alongside his stars Elijah Wright, Jeffrey Wright, Ilfenesh Hadera, Aubrey Joseph, Denzel Washington, A$AP Rocky and Wendell Pierce plus screenwriter Alan Fox for the premiere of his 21st century black America take on an Akira Kurosawa classic ‘Highest 2 Lowest’.
A modern crime drama/thriller following the fate a powerful New York music mogul who is plunged into a moral and existential quandary after a kidnapping, taking to the streets of the city to unravel a dangerous web of power and corruption. ‘Highest 2 Lowest’ is out on the 22nd of August in US cinemas, before a global streaming release on Apple TV+ on the 5th of September.
Highest 2 Lowest press conference (courtesy of Festival de Cannes)
Tuesday the 20th
Fuori
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The second Tuesday this year brought Italian cinema to the official competition and writer/director Mario Martone back to Cannes accompanied by his stars Valeria Golino and Elodie plus screenwriter Ippolita Di Majo among others for the premiere of their tale of artistic inspiration and female friendship ‘Fuori’.
A period character drama set in Rome of the early 1980s, where a shunned and struggling middle-aged author’s unexpected plunge into crime lands her in prison, only for the world to take an unexpected positive turn when she befriends a group of young fellow inmates, and then flourishes when she’s released and the bond with one of them becomes even stronger, and both artistically and spiritually fulfilling. ‘Fuori’ is out now in Italy.
Fuori press conference (courtesy of Festival de Cannes)
It Was Just an Accident (Yek Tasadef Sadeh)
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Tuesday’s second Palme d’Or contender (and eventual winner) was an Iranian cinema affair which brought Persian auteur and dissident director Jafar Panahi back in person to the festival for the first time in over two decades thanks to his never-ending legal troubles with the Iranian authorities, joined by his stars Ebrahim Azizi, Majid Panahi, Vahid Mobasseri and Mariam Afshari for the premiere of his secretive road/drama thriller ‘It Was Just an Accident’.
A mysterious and tense character drama currently kept largely under wraps, but essentially revolving around a newlywed couple on an Iranian road trip whose car becomes damaged and lands them in a garage for repairs, triggering suspicion and a series of unfortunate events involving a mechanic with a past and a vendetta which turns their trip upside down and potentially deadly. ‘It Was Just an Accident’ is out on the 10th of September in France.
It Was Just an Accident press conference (courtesy of Festival de Cannes)
A Private Life (Vie Privée)
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The pick of Tuesday’s other screenings was a homegrown out-of-competition gala affair which brought writer/director Rebecca Zlotowski back to the Riviera for a French-language tale with a sprinkle of Hollywood, as she was joined by her multilingual star Jodie Foster and her co-tars Luana Bajrami, Virginie Efira, Vincent Lacoste, Sophie Guillemin and Irène Jacob for the premiere of ‘A Private Life’.
A contemporary French crime drama centred on a celebrated psychiatrist who takes matters into her own hands when one of her patients dies in suspicious circumstances, as she embarks on her own investigation to prove she was murdered and finds herself plunged into a conspiracy. ‘A Private Life’ has no confirmed UK or US dates yet.
A Private Life press conference (courtesy of Festival de Cannes)
Wednesday the 21st
Sentimental Value (Affeksjonsverdi)
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The second Wednesday this year was another busy day for the official competition which saw Scandinavian cinema return to the festival in the form of Danish-Norwegian filmmaker and now Cannes regular Joachim Trier, who brought along his stars Elle Fanning, Inga Ibsdotter Lilleaas, Renate Reinsve, Stellan Skarsgård, Eskil Vogt and Anders Danielsen Lie among others for the premiere of his latest melancholy exploration of love and loss, relationships and identity ‘Sentimental Value’.
A dysfunctional family drama revolving around two grown sisters in the film and acting business, whose attempts to repair a difficult relationship with their larger-than-life estranged director father becomes further complicated when they turn down a part in what he hopes will be a comeback film, and he opts instead for a young Hollywood star who unexpectedly comes between them. ‘Sentimental Value’ is out on the 20th of August in French cinemas, with no UK or US dates yet.
Sentimental Value press conference (courtesy of Festival de Cannes)
The History of Sound
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Wednesday’s second Palme d’Or contender was an American period drama affair which brought well-travelled South African director Oliver Hermanus back to the Riviera flanked by his stars Emma Canning, Alison Bartlett, Raphael Sbarge, Paul Mescal, Hadley Robinson plus producers and writers Andrew Kortschak, Lisa Ciuffetti, Ben Shattuck, Thérèsa Van Graan, Zhang Xin and Sara Murphy for the premiere of his sonic portrait of trauma, memory and longing ‘The History of Sound’.
An early 20th century tale of loss and connection centred on two young aspiring American musicians and music conservationists who form a deep bond, only to be separated by World War I and the complexities of maturing lives which send them on two diverging paths far apart, but never diminishes a unique connection forged long before. ‘The History of Sound’ has no confirmed dates yet.
The History of Sound press conference (courtesy of Festival de Cannes)
Romería
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The third official competition screening of the day was a Spanish cinema affair which signalled a Cannes debut for Catalan writer/director Carla Simón, who brought along her stars Mitch Martín and Llúcia Garcia plus producer María Zamora for the premiere of her latest family drama and coming-of-age exploration of childhood loss and identity ‘Romería’. The tale of a teenage orphan forced to travel to the Spanish coast in search of documents and signatures for a scholarship from the paternal grandparents she never met, a journey of uncertainty and apprehension as she meets a family she never knew and uncovers uncomfortable secrets which contradict the few memories she has of her long lost parents. ‘Romería’ is out on the 5th of September in Spain, with no other dates yet.
Romería press conference (courtesy of Festival de Cannes)
Thursday the 22nd
Resurrection (Kuang Ye Dhi Dai)
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Thursday’s official competition brought a fantastical taste of Chinese cinema to the Riviera when writer/director Bi Gan returned to Cannes alongside his stars Jue Huang, Shu Qi, Gan Bi, Jackson Yee and Gengxi Li among others for the premiere of his dreamworld sci-fi epic ‘Resurrection’.
A futuristic and fantastic tale set in a world where people no longer dream, except for one cryptic figure linked with the illusions of a dreamworld only it can perceive, until the arrival of a mysterious woman with the ability to connect with these illusions and unravel them to reveal hidden truths about their world. ‘Resurrection’ has no confirmed dates yet.
Resurrection press conference (courtesy of Festival de Cannes)
Woman and Child (Zan va Bache)
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The day’s other Palme d’Or contender brought Persian cinema and writer/director Saeed Roustayi back to the festival flanked by his stars Parinaz Izadyar and Payman Maadi plus producers Eva Dottelonde and Livia Van Der Staay among others for the premiere of their tense Iranian family drama ‘Woman and Child’. The story of a widowed single mother and hard-working Iranian nurse, whose struggles with a rebellious son and easing the family tensions surrounding her new engagement are further compounded by a tragic accident, forcing her to face a betrayal and plunging her into an unexpected fight for justice. ‘Woman and Child’ has no confirmed dates yet.
Woman and Child press conference (courtesy of Festival de Cannes)
Colours of Time (La Venue de L’avenir)
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The other big screening of the day was a homegrown out-of-competition gala affair which welcomed prolific writer/director Cédric Klapisch back to Cannes, accompanied by his stars Suzanne Lindon, Julia Piaton, Vincent Macaigne, Zinedine Soualem, Abraham Wapler, Vassili Schneider, Paul Kircher, Cécile de France, Pomme, Philippine Leroy-Beaulieu and Sara Giraudeau among others, for the premiere of his French era-jumping character drama ‘Colours of Time’.
Simultaneously a period costume and a contemporary comedy/drama following the fate of distance cousins who inherit a remote house in rural Normandy once belonging to their common ancestor, coming together to retrace the steps of this young woman of the late 19th century, as she comes of age in Paris and rubs shoulders with high society and big players in high art and literature. ‘Colours of Time’ is out now in France, with no UK or US dates yet.
Colours of Time press conference (courtesy of Festival de Cannes)
Friday the 23rd
The Mastermind
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The final day of official competition screenings this year brought more American cinema into Palme d’Or contention and writer/director Kelly Reichardt back to the festival for the premiere of her latest measured and minimalist albeit slightly more intense character exploration of humble working class America ‘The Mastermind’.
A 1970s crime drama set in the American Northeast, where an unemployed carpenter turns to art theft when he steals valuable paintings from a museum, only to find that keeping and selling his loot will prove harder than taking it when his life is turned upside down and he goes on the run. Reichardt was joined on the Cannes red carpet by her stars John Magaro, Josh O’Connor and Alana Haim plus producer Anish Savjani and cinematographer Christopher Blauvelt, ‘The Mastermind’ has no confirmed dates yet.
The Mastermind press conference (courtesy of Festival de Cannes)
The Young Mother’s Home (Jeunes Mères)
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Friday’s second Palme d’Or contender was another homegrown affair which brought Belgian cinema veterans and Cannes stalwarts the Dardenne brothers Jean-Pierre and Luc back to the festival, flanked by their young stars Janaïna Halloy, Lucie Laruelle, Elsa Houben and Babette Verbeek for the premiere of their coming-of-age teen mom tale ‘The Young Mother’s Home’.
A contemporary character drama set in a French shelter for young mothers, where a selection of new teen moms are forced to grow up fast, forming a bond between them whilst struggling to build a better life for themselves and their babies. ‘The Young Mother’s Home’ is out now in France.
The Young Mother’s Home press conference (courtesy of Festival de Cannes)
Honey Don’t!
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The day’s big out-of-competition screening was an American cinema gala affair which brought one half of a legendary directorial duo back to the Riviera, as writer/director and Cannes regular Ethan Coen was joined by his stars Talia Ryder, Margaret Qualley, Aubrey Plaza and Charlie Day plus producers Eric Fellner, Tricia Cooke and Tim Bevan for the premiere of his madcap idiosyncratic crime comedy ‘Honey Don’t!’.
A quirky but violent contemporary crime/comedy thriller revolving around a beguiling and bold small-town private investigator, who focuses her inquisitive eye on a mysterious church and its charismatic but shady reverend after a series of unexplained deaths lead her to an unlikely local conspiracy. ‘Honey Don’t!’ is out in US cinemas on the 22nd of August.
Honey Don’t! on the red carpet (courtesy of Festival de Cannes)
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