Bold cinema and starlit Riviera nights at Cannes Film Festival 2025

Every year during May, for over 85 years, cinephiles are waiting in anticipation for one of the biggest events and festivals there is. The Cannes Film Festival has always been a hot topic, as it is considered one of the “Big Three” European festivals (along with Venice and Berlin).

Cannes Film Festival background and history

Festival de Cannes was created by Jean Zay and a couple of French officials in need of a free and independent film festival where the winners and decisions were celebrated. The event originally started as a rival to the Venice Film Festival due to its political influence by Hitler and Mussolini. The very first edition was postponed due to World War II; as a result, the festival officially started in 1946.

Today, the Cannes Film Festival serves as a space where we truly celebrate cinema's beauty without outside interference. There are many reasons this event is a highlight of the film year. It’s not only the most prestigious film festival in the world but also a space that serves as the launchpad for Oscar contenders.

Not to mention, it’s an invite-only event, which makes it a sought-after experience for the best of the best. Think about it as a giant industry hub where you can network, make deals and even see your career launched into the stratosphere.

Red carpet fashion & statements

As always, the red carpet never disappoints. It’s a runway for the stars, as they show off their attire for all to adore. While some choose to wear something timeless and elegant, others go for the unexpected and use the red carpet to express themselves.

Helen Mirren was praised by Barbra Streisand for her captivating attire during the event. Mirren wore a black gown with a Tiffany blue sash and a Margot McKinney necklace, which is said to feature over 400 carats of gemstones.

Isabelle Huppert, unfortunately, did not get much appreciation for her Balenciaga outfit. In fact, her backwards jacket and matching skirt received lots of criticism and landed her on a number of worst-dressed lists.

We saw some interesting outfit choices, including Bill Murray’s ensemble, which resembles a mix between a pool party outfit and a smart casual shirt. Even the colour combination was interesting—nothing flashy or out of this world, but more ‘I just dropped in real quick, I’m not staying’.

Of course, the red carpet was filled with a wide variety of styles, from outlandish to formal and stylish, and more often, something more casual than smart. It was an interesting collection of outfits, and we can’t help but admire the expressiveness of the attire.

Top award winners

The Palme d’Or is the highest festival honour, and it’s always one of the most anticipated results alongside the Grand Prix, which comes in right after in prestige order. Here’s who managed to walk away with the top awards:

• Palme d’Or: This most coveted prize went to ‘It was Just an Accident’ by Jafar Panahi. The film is a powerful political tale filmed secretly in Tehran. It explores themes of revenge and compassion—a winning formula for success when the combination is executed successfully.
• Grand Prix: Joachim Trier’s film Sentimental Value brought home the second highest achievement. This Norwegian drama takes a closer look at familial relationships and is said to have been influenced by Bergman and Ibsen.
• Jury Prize: This one was shared by Oliver Laxe’s Sirat and Mascha Schilinski’s Sound of Falling. The films received recognition for their cinematic vision and unique storytelling.
• Best Director: Kleber Mendonca Filho was awarded Best Director for The Secret Agent. This Brazilian political thriller plays out during the country’s military dictatorship.
• Best Actor: The best actor award went to Wagner Moura from The Secret Agent. In the film, Moura plays a tech expert entangled in political intrigue during the Carnival in Recife.
• Best Actress: Nadia Melliti won the best actress award for her role in The Little Sister. This coming-of-age story tells the tale of a young woman who tries to navigate her identity amidst the familiar expectations.
• Best Screenplay: Jean-Pierre and Luc Dardenne's Young Mothers won the prize with their movie, giving insight into the challenges young mothers often face.
• Special Prize: Resurrection by Bi Gan received special recognition for its visual artistry and innovative storytelling.

Influencer why?

Another hot topic for the event was the presence of social media influencers on the red carpet. Let’s just say the reactions were mixed. Comedian Vir Das quickly spoke on this, stating that insiders are showing hypocrisy by being quick to collaborate with influencers for promotions but at the same time don’t want them present at high-end events.

He took to X.com (previously Twitter) to say the following:

“Look. I work largely with new, unknown designers. So I get the appeal and eyeballs that a red carpet brings. I also respect the hustle that it takes to get your ass there. It’s not for me, but I can respect the underdog energy. So all that being said… Can I just say… ’Film’ people who are upset with influencers at Cannes need to stop going on their podcasts and doing collabs to promote movies then.

The feeling you get seeing them walk down the carpet with you in your domain, is the same feeling we get listening to your lame ass story about how you gave up sugar in their domain. Consider the possibility that they may not be as well dressed as you, or as good-looking as you, but are more interesting. Cannot believe I’m defending influencers, but the elitism is off the hook.”

Predictions based on the Cannes Film Festival

After raking in the Palme d’Or, Jafar Panahi’s film, ‘It Was Just an Accident’, is expected to dominate throughout the awards season with some Oscar buzz in terms of the Best International Feature, Best Director and Best Picture categories.

Nothing surprising, as Cannes and Oscars are tightly linked. The all-around winner of the Oscars 2025, Sean Baker's Anora, was first presented at Cannes, where it snatched the Palme d’Or. And with the Honorary Palme d’Or for Robert De Niro and Denzel Washington, we can expect an Oscars Tribute Segment and the SAF Life Achievement Award in 2026.

Given the interesting attire worn by Alexander Skarsgård, we can also expect more daring or, rather, expressive outfit choices among actors (like ones inspired by a popular fashion trend or breaking boundaries altogether and becoming a trend-setter. It will definitely be interesting to see more bold male outfit choices on the red carpet during other awards ceremonies throughout 2025 and going into 2026. We may also be seeing more influencers as guests at awards ceremonies.

Of course, after the impressive films from Brazil (The Secret Agent, The President’s Cake), Palestine (Once Upon a Time in Gaza), and Chile (The Mysterious Gaze of the Flamingo), we are set to see a surge in Eastern film, with streaming platforms and indie distributors possibly increasing their investments in these regions.