The 78th annual Cannes International Film Festival was held from 13 to 24 May 2025 in Cannes, France. Iranian filmmaker Jafar Panahi was awarded the festival’s highest honour, the Palme d’Or, for his drama film ‘It Was Just an Accident’.
- The event was chaired by French actress Juliette Binoche, who led a nine-member jury comprising notable figures including Indian director Payal Kapadia, American actor Jeremy Strong, South Korean auteur Hong Sangsoo, and other international cinema professionals.
Noted Awards:
i.Norwegian filmmaker Joachim Trier was honored with the Grand Prix for Sentimental Value, a family drama exploring the complexities of reconciliation.
ii.Brazilian actor Wagner Moura received the Best Actor award for his role in The Secret Agent.
iii.French actress Nadia Melliti was honored with the Best Actress award for her performance in The Little Sister, a coming-of-age film directed by Hafsia Herzi.
iv.American actors Robert De Niro and Denzel Washington were each awarded an Honorary Palme d’Or, recognizing their significant contributions to cinema.
v.Panda, the dog featured in the film The Love That Remains, was honoured with the Palm Dog Award.
vi.In Caméra d’Or Section, Iraqi filmmaker Hasan Hadi made history as the first from Iraq to win this award for The President’s Cake, a childhood drama set under economic sanctions.
vii.Chinese director Bi Gan received the Special Jury Prize for his science fiction film Resurrection.
Indian Cinema at Cannes 2025:
i.Directed by Neeraj Ghaywan, ‘Homebound’ was selected for the Un Certain Regard section. The film features actors Ishaan Khatter, Janhvi Kapoor, and Vishal Jethwa, and marks Ghaywan’s return to Cannes after his acclaimed debut Masaan in 2015.
ii.A Doll Made Up of Clay, a student film from Kolkata (West Bengal, WB) based Satyajit Ray Film and Television Institute (SRFTI), was featured in the La Cinef section, highlighting emerging talent from Indian film schools.
iii.The Rajasthani-language film ‘Omlo’, directed by Sonu Randeep Choudhury, was showcased at Cannes. It explores the shared struggles of a 7-year-old boy and a camel, both trapped in lives of helplessness.
iv.At the Cannes Film Market, the biopic ‘Kalam: The Missile Man of India’ was officially unveiled. Directed by Om Raut and starring Dhanush, the film chronicles the life of India’s former president and distinguished aerospace scientist, Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam.
Note: At the 77th Cannes Film Festival, Payal Kapadia became the first Indian to win the Grand Prix award for her film “All We Imagine as Light” in the feature film category.
Bharat Pavilion and Initiatives:
i.The Bharat (India) Pavilion at Cannes 2025 served as a hub for Indian cinema, facilitating networking and showcasing Indian films.
ii.The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (MoI&B), GoI, in collaboration with the Mumbai (Maharashtra) based National Film Development Corporation of India (NFDC) and with support from the New Delhi (Delhi) based Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI), organised the Bharat Pavilion.
iii.The theme of India Pavilion this year is “Create In India”, highlighting India’s growing potential as a global content creation hub.
iv.Award-winning producer Guneet Monga launched a special scholarship for mid-career female producers supported by fellow industry professionals Rucha Pathak, Tillotama Shome, Rabia Chopra, and Dimpy Agrawal under the banner of Women in Film India (WIF India).
2025 Winners of Cannes Film Festival:
| Award Name | Winner | Director |
|---|---|---|
| Palme d’Or | It Was Just an Accident | Jafar Panahi(Iran) |
| Grand Prix | Sentimental Value | Joachim Trier(Norway) |
| Jury Prize | Sirât | Oliver Laxe(Spain) |
| Sound of Falling | Mascha Schilinski(Germany) | |
| Best Director | The Secret Agent | Kleber Mendonça Filho(Brazil) |
| Best Performance by an Actor | The Secret Agent | Wagner Moura(Brazil) |
| Best Performance by an Actress | The Little Sister | Nadia Melliti(France) |
| Best Screenplay | Young Mothers | Jean-Pierre and Luc Dardenne(Belgium) |
Click here to view the full list
About Cannes Film Festival (Festival de Cannes):
i.The Cannes Film Festival was founded in 1946 and was known until 2003 as the International Film Festival (Festival international du film).
ii.It is held annually in May in Cannes, France at the Palais des Festivals et des Congrès.
iii.It is recognised as the world’s most prestigious film festival and most widely published cultural event globally.
iv.The awards are presented under multiple competitive sections like Feature films, Short films, Un Certain Regard, La Cinéf, Caméra D’or, The Higher Technical Commission for Sound and Images, and L’Œil d’Or – Year of the Documentary.
v.The Palme d’Or (Golden Palm) is the highest and most prestigious award presented at the Cannes Film Festival to the director of the Best Feature Film.
