Everything You Need to Know About the 78th Annual Cannes Film Festival

The 78th Annual Cannes Film Festival, a culturally significant event in cinema that combines artistic prestige and international glamour, will be held this year from May 13 to 24. French actor Juliette Binoche will chair the feature film jury 40 years after her first ascent on the reputable red carpet for André Téchiné's Rendez-vous in 1985. She succeeds Greta Gerwig, marking the second time in the festival's history that two women have held this prestigious position.

While the cabinet members have yet to be announced, one thing is certain: they play a key role in the film industry as the Cannes Film Festival remains a barometer of the awards season. The 2024 festival saw Sean Baker's Anora, Palme d'Or winner, win five Oscars.

Laurent Lafitte will be the Master of Ceremonies for the 2025 edition of the esteemed festival. An actor, writer, and director with a rich and eclectic career, Lafitte is a complete artist whose demanding training at the Conservatoire National Supérieur d'Art Dramatique and the Guildford School of Acting has nurtured a rare mastery of stage and film acting. A master in the art of alternating between classical theater at the Comédie-Française, popular comedy, cinematic drama, and satire, he knows how to captivate all audiences.

Keep scrolling to see everything you need to know about the 78th Annual Cannes Film Festival, including which movies are in the running for the Palme d'or, which celebrities will be on the red carpet, and more.

Which Films Are in the Running for the Palme d’or?

This year, there are 19 films total in the running for the prestigious Palme d’or award. Six of the films in competition are directed by women, highlighting a much-needed increase in diversity on the basis of gender. See each one and its director below.

The Phoenician Scheme by Wes Anderson

Eddington by Ari Aster

Young Mothers by Jean-Pierre and Luc Dardenne

Alpha by Julia Ducournau

Renoir by Hayakawa Chie

The History of Sound by Oliver Hermanus

The Last One by Hafsia Herzi

Sirat by Oliver Laxe

New Wave by Richard Linklater

Two Prosecutors by Sergei Loznitsa

Fuori by Mario Martone

O Agente Secreto by Kleber Mendonça Filho (The Secret Agent)

File 137 by Dominik Moll

A Simple Accident by Jafar Panahi

The Mastermind by Kelly Reichardt

The Eagles of the Republic by Tarik Saleh

Sound of Falling by Mascha Schilinski

Romeria by Carla Simón

Sentimental Value by Joachim Trier

Which Films Are in the Un Certain Regard Selection?

See below for the films in the Un Certain Regard selection.

The Misteriosa Mirada Del Flamenco by Diego Céspedes

Meteors by Hubert Charuel

My Father's Shadow by Akinola Davies Jr

The Stranger of the Grande Arche by Stéphane Demoustier

Urchin by Harris Dickinson

Homebound by Neeraj Ghaywan

A Pale View of Hills by Ishikawa Kei

Eleanor the Great by Scarlett Johansson

Karavan by Zuzana Kirchnerova

Pillion by Harry Lighton 

Aisha Can't Fly Away by Morad Mostafa

Once Upon A Time In Gaza by Arab and Tarzan Nasser

The Plague by Charlie Polinger

Promised Heaven by Erige Sehiri

Le Città Di Pianura by Francesco Sossai

Testa O Croce? by Matteo ZOPPIS, Alessio Rigo de Righi

Which Are the Out of Competition Films?

Out of Competition films are screened at the festival but not in the running for a major prize. See five titles in this category below.

The Coming of the Future by Cédric Klapisch

The Richest Woman In the World by Thierry Klifa

Highest 2 Lowest by Spike Lee

Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning by Christopher McQuarrie

Private Life of Rebecca Zlotowski

Which Celebrities Will Be at Cannes Film Festival in 2025?

The red carpet will welcome many celebrities, including Josh O'Connor, Paul Mescal, Scarlett Johansson, Harris Dickinson, Tom Cruise, Robert De Niro, and Bono. 

In previous years, celebrities on the red carpet and around town have made all the buzz thanks to their fashions, whether a custom gown or archival pull.