The 2025 Cannes Film Festival, which kicks off next month, is poised to unveil its official competition films and major premieres at a highly anticipated press conference in Paris today.
This year’s festival has been under scrutiny, however, not just for the glamour of its red carpets and world premieres, but for mounting calls to address the pervasive abuse within the entertainment industry.
Cannes president Iris Knobloch and festival director Thierry Fremaux are set to announce the lineup of films vying for the prestigious Palme d’Or prize at the festival’s press event. Among the confirmed highlights is French film icon Juliette Binoche, who will serve as the jury president.
Meanwhile, legendary actors Robert De Niro and Tom Cruise are also set to make waves, with De Niro slated to receive an honorary Palme d’Or and Cruise making a high-profile appearance for the world premiere of the final “Mission: Impossible” movie.
However, the lead-up to the 2025 festival has been overshadowed by the release of a highly critical French parliamentary inquiry into abuse in the entertainment industry.
The inquiry, published earlier this week, concluded that mistreatment of performers is endemic within the sector.
Sandrine Rousseau, the chairwoman of the inquiry and a prominent feminist lawmaker from The Greens party, has called on the Cannes Film Festival to take a leadership role in tackling the issue.
Rousseau demanded that the festival be a platform for change, emphasizing that Cannes must lead by example in addressing sexual abuse and all forms of violence, both physical and psychological, within the industry.
“The Cannes Film Festival must be the place where this shift in mindset happens; the place where we say loud and clear… that finally, we all want things to change,” Rousseau stated during a press conference.
The timing of the festival’s opening on May 13 is notable, as it coincides with the verdict in the sexual assault trial of French cinema legend Gérard Depardieu, a case that has gripped the nation. Depardieu, once considered a towering figure in French cinema, is accused of assaulting two women on a film set in 2021, allegations he denies.
The trial has sparked national debate about how the #MeToo movement has influenced the entertainment industry, with the verdict expected to send ripples through the sector.
The 2025 Cannes Festival also comes at a time when cinemas worldwide are reeling from a series of high-budget Hollywood flops, further intensifying the pressure to deliver fresh, captivating content.
Films such as Disney’s live-action “Snow White” and superhero sequel “Captain America: Brave New World” have failed to meet expectations, while South Korean director Bong Joon-ho’s “Mickey 17” has faced critical backlash despite its high-budget production.
Amid these challenges, Cannes is expected to continue its tradition of celebrating independent and auteur-driven cinema. Around 20 films will compete for the Palme d’Or, with past winners such as Sean Baker’s “Anora” setting a high bar for artistic excellence.
Several notable filmmakers are poised to return this year, including Terrence Malick, whose highly anticipated biblical epic may be a contender, and Jim Jarmusch, known for his distinctive style in films like “Broken Flowers” and “Dead Man.”
Wes Anderson is also expected to feature with his star-studded ensemble cast, including Benicio Del Toro, Tom Hanks, and Scarlett Johansson.
With this year’s festival coming at a pivotal moment for both the entertainment industry and global cinema, all eyes are on Cannes to see how it will balance its artistic legacy with the urgent need for reform within its own ranks.
