The 78th Cannes Film Festival takes place May 13–24, 2025 at the Palais des Festivals et des Congrès in Cannes, France​. This spring’s edition promises a star-studded lineup with international premieres and honorees. Filmmakers, actors and journalists from around the world will gather on the Côte d’Azur to celebrate cinema.

Key Facts

• Dates: May 13–24, 2025 – the festival spans 12 days of screenings, awards and events.
  
• Location: Palais des Festivals et des Congrès, Cannes​ (the iconic waterfront convention center built in 1982).
  
• Edition: 78th (founded in 1946) – Cannes is one of the world’s longest-running and most prestigious film festivals.
  
• Highlights: The festival features Competition films vying for the Palme d’Or, plus Un Certain Regard and out-of-competition galas. It also includes special screenings (e.g. restored classics, documentaries) and parallel sections like Directors’ Fortnight.
  

Jury & Opening Film

The Jury President is French actress Juliette Binoche, who returns to Cannes 40 years after her debut here​. She succeeds Greta Gerwig (2024) and will head an international jury. Binoche’s fellow jurors include Oscar-winning actress Halle Berry, actor Jeremy Strong, writer Leïla Slimani, directors Carlos Reygadas, Hong Sangsoo, Dieudo Hamadi, Payal Kapadia and actress Alba Rohrwacher. This team will award the festival’s major prizes (Palme d’Or, Grand Prix, etc.), with the winners announced at the Closing Ceremony on May 24.

The festival opens on May 13 with Partir un Jour (Leave One Day), the feature debut of director Amélie Bonnin. Adapted from her award-winning short, the film stars singer Juliette Armanet and actor Bastien Bouillon as childhood sweethearts reuniting after many years. (Amélie Bonnin’s short version won a César in 2023.) As with past years, the Opening Film is screened out of competition, setting a tone of romance and nostalgia for the festival kick-off.

Major Premieres & Special Tributes

High-profile premieres are a Cannes tradition. This year’s Out-of-Competition slate includes big-ticket titles: for example, Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning (Tom Cruise) and Spike Lee’s documentary Highest 2 Lowest. Special Screenings feature anticipated docs and tributes – e.g. BONO: STORIES OF SURRENDER by Andrew Dominik and fan-favorites by auteurs like Cédric Klapisch and Lav Diaz. Each evening on the Croisette, the red carpet will roll out for stars premiering their films before enthusiastic crowds.

At the Opening Ceremony on May 13, legendary actor Robert De Niro will receive the Honorary Palme d’Or for lifetime achievement. De Niro’s award will kick off the festival, and he will give a masterclass for attendees on May 14. At the Closing Ceremony on May 24, the jury will award the official Palme d’Or and other prizes to one of the 21 Competition films​. (In 2024 Greta Gerwig’s jury awarded the Palme to Sean Baker’s Anora​.) These honors underscore Cannes’s role in spotlighting future Oscar contenders and global cinema milestones.

How to Attend or Follow

Cannes is an accreditation-only festival. Only accredited industry and media (or film students) can attend the official screenings. Accreditation passes are obtained in advance, and the online ticketing portal for badge holders opens around May 9. (In 2024, 90% of registrants secured tickets within minutes after release.) However, even non-professionals can catch some festival action: the Cannes Cinéma program runs free outdoor screenings on the Croisette for the public, and the local Cinéma de la Plage offers nightly films.

For those watching from afar, major news outlets and social media cover Cannes in real time. France Télévisions will broadcast the Opening and Closing ceremonies live (French TV) and global streaming partners (e.g. Brut) will share highlights​. The official Cannes website and festival app provide schedules, news and livestreams. Major industry sites like Variety and Deadline, as well as outlets like The Hollywood Reporter, will report daily on the lineup and buzz.

Conclusion

The 2025 Cannes Film Festival is shaping up to be a landmark event, uniting world cinema’s most acclaimed voices and rising talents. With Juliette Binoche leading the jury and a packed program of new films, it will generate headlines and launch award-season contenders. For filmmakers, a Cannes selection can define a career; for audiences, it’s an unmatched chance to discover cutting-edge cinema. As always, Cannes promises glamour on the red carpet, fierce competition, and a celebration of film’s power to inspire and unite​.