Cannes Film Festival 2025: Two Honorary Palmes, a Bee and a Condor... 25 Memorable Moments from the Fortnight on the Croisette

A 78th edition as rich in cinematic moments as it is in strong statements and unusual moments. After two weeks of red carpets, red carpet walks, and screenings, the 2025 Cannes Film Festival draws to a close on Saturday, May 24. A few hours before the closing ceremony and the announcement of the Palme d'Or, franceinfo has selected 25 moments that marked the Croisette this year.

1 A political opening ceremony...

The festival opened with a very political tone. The master of the opening ceremonies, Laurent Lafitte, "honored" and "celebrated" the commitment of the actors and actresses who take a stand . To applause, he notably mentioned actress Adèle Haenel, who had left the César ceremony to protest against the award given to Roman Polanski in 2020, or Isabelle Adjani, who "literally put her life in danger by reading a passage from The Satanic Verses ," the book by Salman Rushdie which was then the subject of a fatwa, during the 1989 César Awards.

Jury president Juliette Binoche then paid tribute to the "hostages of October 7" and to "all the hostages, the prisoners, the drowned who endure terror and die with a terrible sense of abandonment." "Artists have the opportunity to bear witness for others. The higher the level of suffering, the more vital the level of involvement," the actress said.

2 ... And broad support for the Palestinian people

"We, artists and cultural figures, cannot remain silent while a genocide is taking place in Gaza." On the eve of the festival's opening, 400 film personalities signed a statement of support for the Palestinian people, which appeared in Libération and the American magazine Variety . The text was signed by, among others, Spanish director Pedro Almodovar, American actor Richard Gere, and actresses Adèle Exarchopoulos and Susan Sarandon. Other artists, including Juliette Binoche, also signed the statement in the following days .

3 The memory of photojournalist Fatima Hassouna killed in Gaza

She was due to come to Cannes to bear witness in person to the suffering endured by the people of Gaza. Fatima Hassouna, a 25-year-old Gazan photojournalist, was killed in an Israeli airstrike in April, the day after her documentary was selected for the Acid, a parallel section of the festival. During the screening of the documentary Put Your Hand on Your Soul and Walk , which retraces her exchanges with Fatima Hassouna, director Sepideh Farsi paid her a poignant tribute in front of an emotional audience . On opening night, Juliette Binoche also had a word for the reporter.

(FRANCE TELEVISIONS) 3 min 4 Mylène Farmer sings in tribute to David Lynch

Her appearances are rare. Mylène Farmer took to the stage at the Palais des Festivals during the opening ceremony to pay musical tribute to her friend, American filmmaker David Lynch, who died in January at the age of 78. Accompanied by a pianist, the singer unveiled a previously unreleased track, Confession , in front of footage from the director of Mulholland Drive and the cult series Twin Peaks . David Lynch received the Palme d'Or in 1990 for Sailor and Lula .

5 min 5 Leonardo Di Caprio presents an honorary Palme d'Or to his "role model", Robert De Niro

"I have the great honor of being here (...) to pay tribute to someone who, for a whole generation of actors, was a role model, our idol." At the opening ceremony, American star Leonardo DiCaprio awarded an honorary Palme d'Or to Robert De Niro , with whom he recently co-starred in Martin Scorsese's Killers of the Flower Moon . "Robert De Niro, Bob as we call him, doesn't say much. But when he speaks, we listen. Whether he's talking to his friends, his family, whether he's committed to democracy or supporting cinema, he's there and very present," Leonardo DiCaprio emphasized to the 81-year-old actor, who was visibly moved.

6 Americans attack Donald Trump's policies

A declared opponent of Donald Trump, Robert De Niro took advantage of the presentation of this honorary Palme d'Or to call for "defending democracy" in the face of an "uncultured" American president. "We must act today, immediately, without violence but with passion, with determination! The time has come, everyone who loves freedom must organize, protest and the time has also come to vote," declared the Taxi Driver actor.

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Like him, several American stars did not mince their words during the fortnight in Cannes. "Fuck those who try to scare you!" Pedro Pascal stormed at a press conference for Ari Aster's Eddington , a satirical film about the failings of contemporary America. "I want people to be safe and protected. I also want to live on the right side of history. I'm an immigrant, my parents are Chilean refugees, I'm also a refugee," proclaimed the star of The Last of Us series, born into a Chilean family who took refuge in the United States. Director Wes Anderson, for his part, mocked Donald Trump's idea of ​​imposing a 100% tax on foreign films .

7 Tom Cruise welcomed with fanfare

No helicopter arrival or flyover by the Patrouille de France like in 2022. Tom Cruise 's return to the Cannes red carpet was more sober, but still accompanied by the Mission: Impossible theme song performed live by an orchestra. The star came out of competition to present the 8th installment of the saga, The Final Reckoning .

(FRANCE TELEVISIONS) 6 min 8 From Kristen Stewart to Scarlett Johansson, actresses and actors are moving behind the camera

The Un Certain Regard section showcased first-time directorial ventures by actors. Scarlett Johansson presented her directorial debut, Eleanor the Great . With this feature film, which captures the spirit of American independent cinema, the Hollywood actress proved that she is also capable of moving away from big productions like Avengers .

Revealed by the vampire saga Twilight , her compatriot Kristen Stewart has unveiled The Chronology of Water , inspired by the story of a novelist and former swimmer who grew up in a violent environment. The British Harris Dickinson, recently seen alongside Nicole Kidman in Babygirl , has unveiled Urchin.

9 Hafsia Herzi moved during the screening of "La Petite Dernière"

Her film was applauded for several minutes. For her first selection in competition as a director, French actress Hafsia Herzi presented La Petite Dernière , an adaptation of the eponymous book by Fatima Daas , which tells the story of a young Muslim lesbian woman.

"I was very moved, because it was a moment I was dreading, as soon as I learned that the film had been selected. I hoped that the film would be well received, and yesterday [Friday, May 16] , it was incredible," the César-winning actress told France Inter . The film will be released in theaters on October 1.

10 Jafar Panahi, opponent of the Iranian regime, returns after fifteen years of absence

Few red carpet appearances are as symbolic. For the first time since his 2010 conviction for "propaganda against the regime," Iranian filmmaker Jafar Panahi was able to travel to Cannes in person to present A Simple Accident. No one knows what fate the Iranian authorities will reserve for the 64-year-old director after this eleventh feature film, which attacks them and the arbitrary actions of the security forces. Imprisoned twice in Iran, Jafar Panahi filmed in secret, and several of his actresses appear bare-haired, in defiance of the country's laws.

11 Falling palm tree injures festival-goer

A palm tree weighing approximately two tons fell on the Croisette on Saturday, May 17, seriously injuring a Japanese festival-goer in the head, reports France 3 Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur . The accident occurred near the beach cinema on a windy morning. An investigation has been opened to determine the cause of the fall. The victim was released from hospital the following day.

12 A surprise Palme d'Or for Denzel Washington

A nice surprise for an iconic actor. At the out-of-competition presentation of Spike Lee's new film, Highest 2 Lowest , Denzel Washington was awarded an honorary Palme d'Or for his career achievement . The title was presented to him by Spike Lee, with whom he made four feature films, including the cult classic Malcolm X in 1992 and Inside Man in 2006.

On the red carpet, the film's crew put on a show with Spike Lee in a pinstriped suit, in the colors of his favorite basketball team, the New York Knicks, and American rap star ASAP Rocky. The red carpet appearance was also marked by a brief altercation between Denzel Washington and a photographer.

13 Two personalities removed after accusations of sexual violence

French actor Théo Navarro-Mussy , who is part of Dominik Moll's Palme d'Or contender , did not walk the red carpet due to accusations of "rape, physical and psychological violence" by three former partners. "Out of respect for the victims' words, without forgetting the presumption of innocence, and in agreement with the festival and the actor in question, we decided it was best for him not to come to Cannes," the director told AFP.

A vice-president of Acid, a parallel but independent selection of the festival, was also "removed" after being accused of sexual violence by a young woman during a public meeting in Cannes.

On the sidelines of the festival, Kevin Spacey, known for his roles in The Usual Suspects, American Beauty and House of Cards , received a lifetime achievement award from the Better World Fund, which is independent of the Cannes festival. The foundation explained that it invited the American actor, who was acquitted of sexual assault charges in Great Britain and the United States, because he had been "cleared by the courts" .

14 Still too few films directed by women in the eyes of Nicole Kidman

Nicolas Kidman has kept her promise . The American-Australian actress, who pledged eight years ago to work with at least one female filmmaker every 18 months, announced that she has since collaborated with 27 female directors. The actress received the "Women in Motion" award, which recognizes figures who are changing the status of women in film and society. On this occasion, Nicole Kidman regretted that the number of top-grossing films directed by women in the United States remains "still incredibly low."

15 A clothing controversy on the red carpet

While actors and directors had planned to dress up, the Cannes Film Festival decided this year to "ban nudity" for "reasons of decency." The management did not specify what led it to take this initiative. Also out are bulky outfits, " especially long trains, the volume of which hinders the smooth movement of guests and makes it difficult to sit in the room." A restriction that forced American actress Halle Berry, a member of the jury, to change in extremis of dress for the opening .

16 Isabelle Huppert dares to wear a fluorescent dress

No rule violation, but a daring choice. Isabelle Huppert appeared in a neon green dress for the out-of-competition screening of Thierry Klifa's The Richest Woman in the World , in which the actress plays multi-billionaire Liliane Bettencourt.

The fortnight was also marked by other daring looks. Swedish actor Alexander Skarsgård, for example, swapped classic shoes for a statement pair of thigh-high boots. Kristen Stewart, meanwhile, stood out in matching Bermuda shorts and a cap.

17 Julia Ducournau back in competition, four years after her Palme d'Or

It was one of the most anticipated films on the Croisette. Julia Ducournau, crowned on the Croisette in 2021 for Titane , unveiled her third feature film, Alpha . The film, starring Golshifteh Farahani and Tahar Rahim, tells the story of a 13-year-old girl, played by Mélissa Boros, in the midst of the AIDS epidemic in the 1980s. If crowned, the French director would become the first woman to win two Palmes d'Or in her career. That is, provided she wins over the jury with this work that has divided the Croisette .

18 Horror master Ari Aster's first steps in Cannes

Like Julia Ducournau, he is one of the leading figures of contemporary genre cinema . American director Ari Aster walked the steps of the Croisette for the first time, at the competition screening of Eddington. For his fourth film, the filmmaker has directed a neo-western horror set in modern America, starring Joaquin Phoenix, Pedro Pascal, Emma Stone, and Austin Butler.

19 Emma Stone and Pedro Pascal attacked by a bee

She wasn't on the guest list for the screening of Eddington , though. A bee bothered the film's cast on the red carpet. A minor disturbance that seemed to amuse Emma Stone and Pedro Pascal.

20 Raphaël Quenard arrives on the red carpet with a strange bird

In the animal category, the Palme d'Or goes to Raphaël Quenard , who walked the red carpet with a condor mascot at the screening of I Love Peru , a mockumentary comedy about himself, which he co-directed. In it, the actor appears confronted with sudden success that plunges him into an existential crisis. "It's a film that ultimately speaks of solitude, of invigorating and regenerative solitude," explained Raphaël Quenard. Hence the choice of the condor, a symbol of solitude, but also of majesty.

21 A hair change for Michaël Youn and Kev Adams

Michaël Youn and Kev Adams climbed the steps with their heads partially shaved, revealing their longer hair at the back. Their haircuts, achieved with the help of hair prosthetics, were a promotional exercise for the two actors, soon to be seen in Some Like It Bald , a film by Camille Delamarre which addresses the subject of baldness. A choice Michaël Youn seems to have regretted upon meeting director Quentin Tarantino. "The day you meet your idol, you have that face," joked the actor and comedian.

22 Activist Julian Assange, a committed surprise guest

After five years in prison in Great Britain, the founder of Wikileaks was on the Croisette for the screening of a documentary about him, The Six Billion Dollar Man. Julian Assange was released in June 2024 after a plea bargain with the US government, which wanted to prosecute him for publishing classified diplomatic and military information. He appeared in a photoshoot wearing a white T-shirt bearing the names of Palestinian children killed in Gaza.

23 Ukrainian soldiers walk up the steps with Bono and Sean Penn

The war in Ukraine was also a central theme of this 78th edition, with three films dedicated to the conflict. While in Cannes to present a documentary about his life, U2 frontman Bono took the opportunity to show his support for the Ukrainian army by inviting soldiers. They were accompanied by actor and director Sean Penn.

24 The return of Wes Anderson and his dream castings

A star-studded festival on the red carpet. Wes Anderson was invited to compete for the fourth time in his career. The Phoenician Scheme , which will be released in France on Wednesday, May 28, combines the key ingredients that have made the American director's success: symmetrical and colorful shots, and a host of Hollywood actors. The Croisette thus saw the parade of Bill Murray, Benicio del Toro, Benedict Cumberbatch, Michael Cera, and even Charlotte Gainsbourg.

25 Filmmaker Todd Haynes endorsed by the Filmmakers' Fortnight

He is responsible for Carol (2015) and May December (2023). American director Todd Haynes , a figure of American counterculture and queer cinema, received the Golden Coach , an honorary prize from the Quinzaine des cinéastes, the parallel section of the festival. The Society of Film Directors praised a filmmaker who "carries high his legacy of questioning norms, whether social, sexual or artistic" .