CANNES FILM FESTIVAL 2025: WHAT TO EXPECT THIS YEAR!
On the eve of the official announcement of the 78th Cannes Film Festival selection, the excitement is already at a fever pitch with four major revelations: Juliette Binoche will preside over the Jury, Laurent Lafitte returns as Master of Ceremonies, Robert De Niro will receive an honorary Palme d’or, and Tom Cruise is set to return to the Croisette with the latest installment of Mission: Impossible.
Four icons of global cinema, blending French elegance, artistic commitment, and Hollywood mythologies.
JULIETTE BINOCHE: A STAR TO LEAD THE JURY
A laughter that lights up the screen, a tireless commitment to her art and her times — Juliette Binoche will head the 2025 Jury, exactly 40 years after her first appearance at Cannes with Rendez-vous by André Téchiné.
With an Oscar, a César, a BAFTA, and Best Actress awards from Cannes, Berlin and Venice, Juliette Binoche has played everything from passion (Damage) to restraint (Camille Claudel 1915), burlesque (Slack Bay) to melancholic depth (Certified Copy).
Her global filmography spans continents and genres, driven by a thirst for truth and artistic freedom. In a world where ethics, ecology, human rights and gender equality resonate ever more politically, Juliette Binoche stands as a strong, generous voice. Succeeding Greta Gerwig, she marks a historic transition between two major female figures in cinema.
LAURENT LAFITTE: THE MASTER RETURNS TO THE MIC
Eight years after hosting the opening and closing ceremonies of the 69th Festival, Laurent Lafitte is back on the Palais stage.
Actor, comedian, director — and Comédie-Française alum — Lafitte is a cultural force in France. From Don Juan to Bernard Tapie, Elle to See You Up There, his performances combine wit, presence and emotional depth.
Expect an opening and closing full of irony, finesse and theatrical flair.
ROBERT DE NIRO: A LIFETIME OF CINEMA HONORED
© Brigitte Lacombe
Some faces become the face of cinema itself. Robert De Niro is one of them. From Mean Streets to Raging Bull, Taxi Driver to Joker, his quiet intensity shaped a cinematic legacy.
His Cannes journey began in 1976 with Taxi Driver, Palme d’or winner under Scorsese’s fiery direction. Today, his acceptance of the honorary Palme d’or is a homecoming:
“Cannes brings us together. It’s like coming home.”
De Niro represents a vision of cinema that is both deeply human and unwaveringly committed — politically, artistically, and ethically.
TOM CRUISE: ONE LAST MISSION ON THE CROISETTE?
On May 14, Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning will screen Out of Competition at the Grand Théâtre Lumière. And with it, Tom Cruise returns to Cannes.
Only his third appearance on the Croisette, each has made waves — and 2025 promises to be no different. Red carpet, masterclass, global anticipation — and perhaps, his final leap as Ethan Hunt.
At 62, Cruise still embodies cinematic risk and relentless performance. With longtime collaborator Christopher McQuarrie directing, this final chapter promises adrenaline, jaw-dropping stunts, and emotional resonance. A farewell… or the ultimate high?
At Cannes, legends never die. They walk the red carpet.
Follow full coverage on @movieintheair — and get ready for tomorrow’s press conference revealing the full official selection. Stay tuned!
Falafel Cinéma and the Cannes Film (podcast)
