All Eyes on the 78th Cannes Film Festival

The day has arrived: the 78th Cannes Film Festival is officially underway. For the next two weeks, the Croisette will shimmer with cinema, emotion, diamonds, and the kind of red carpet glamour that only Cannes can deliver. Here’s everything you need to know about the opening ceremony — and what’s to come.

A Star-Studded Jury Led by Juliette Binoche
This year’s jury is helmed by none other than Juliette Binoche, the legendary French actress whose luminous career includes collaborations with cinematic greats like Michael Haneke, David Cronenberg, and Abbas Kiarostami. In her opening address, Binoche paid tribute to Palestinian photojournalist Fatma Hassouna, who was killed in an Israeli airstrike just one day after her film was selected for Cannes.

Binoche leads a strikingly diverse, international panel: French-Moroccan author Leïla Slimani, American actress Halle Berry, Italian star Alba Rohrwacher, Indian filmmaker Payal Kapadia, Congolese documentarian Dieudo Hamadi, Mexican director Carlos Reygadas, South Korean auteur Hong Sangsoo, and “Succession’s” own Jeremy Strong.

Quentin Tarantino Steals the Spotlight
Laurent Lafitte was hosting, but to officially open the 78th Cannes Film Festival, he brought out one final guest at the end of the ceremony. “And for once — just this once — it’s so we can punch him in the face,” he joked, sparking a wave of laughter throughout the room. That surprise guest? None other than American filmmaker Quentin Tarantino. Because really, as Lafitte noted, “You can’t make nine masterpieces and then tell humanity you’re stopping at ten.” With that, he welcomed the “really not very nice and frankly selfish” (his words, not ours) director of Kill Bill to the stage.

Tarantino strolled in with a signature grin and a spring in his step, soaking in the standing ovation before gesturing for the crowd to settle. “Merci beaucoup,” he offered smoothly—in French, no less — before promptly veering off-script. What followed was pure Tarantino: an impromptu roar into the microphone to declare the festival “ouvert” in a drawn-out, gleeful crescendo. And yes, there was a mic drop. Unexpected? Absolutely. Unforgettable? Without question. Cannes, once again, knows how to deliver the drama.

Mylène Farmer’s Haunting Return
In a rare public performance, French chanteuse Mylène Farmer stunned audiences with a poignant rendition of her new track Confession, dedicated to her friend and cinematic icon David Lynch, who passed away earlier this year. The emotionally charged performance left the Palais visibly moved—and the internet alight.

Robert De Niro Honoured with the Palme d’Or
One of the most revered actors of our time, Robert De Niro, was awarded an honorary Palme d’Or, presented by none other than Leonardo DiCaprio. The choice was far from surprising — the two have collaborated on several of Martin Scorsese’s most memorable films, their first being “This Boy’s Life” in 1993 and were most recently reunited in Scorcese’s “Killers of the Flower Moon”. In a touching parallel, DiCaprio also presented De Niro with a Screen Actors Guild Lifetime Achievement Award in 2020. Today, De Niro will host an exclusive masterclass in the Debussy Theatre before jetting back to New York.

What’s on the Official Programme?
Under the Cannes sun, 22 films are in competition this year. The official poster — a still from Claude Lelouch’s “A Man and a Woman”, which won the Palme d’Or in 1966 - hints at a festival devoted to love and emotional intensity.

As tradition now has it, cinema’s magician Wes Anderson returns to Cannes. After “The French Dispatch” in 2021 and “Asteroid City” in 2023, he unveils “The Phoenician Scheme”. This black comedy features Anderson’s usual collaborators — Bill Murray and Jeffrey Wright - alongside Benicio del Toro, Scarlett Johansson, Benedict Cumberbatch, Tom Hanks, and Mia Threapleton (daughter of Kate Winslet). The film follows wealthy businessman Zsa-Zsa Korda, who appoints his daughter, a nun, as the sole heir to his estate, leading them on an unexpected journey through power and family ties.

Other highlights include “Young Mothers”, the latest from two-time Palme d’Or winners the Dardenne brothers, exploring the challenges of early motherhood. Ari Aster’s black comedy western “Eddington”, starring Joaquin Phoenix, Emma Stone, Pedro Pascal and Austin Butler, chronicles a power struggle between a sheriff and a mayor during the COVID-19 crisis.

Chie Hayakawa presents “Renoir”, a delicate coming-of-age drama set in 1980s Tokyo, tracing the story of 11-year-old Fuki as she confronts her father’s terminal illness. Following her Palme-winning success with Titane in 2021, Julia Ducournau returns with “Alpha”, her first English-language feature. Set against the backdrop of the 1980s AIDS crisis, this body horror stars Emma Mackey, Tahar Rahim and Golshifteh Farahani.

Also in competition are “Nouvelle Vague”, Richard Linklater’s poetic homage to Jean-Luc Godard’s À Bout de Souffle, Sergei Loznitsa’s poignant “Two Prosecutors”, and Lynne Ramsay’s “Die, My Love”, an adaptation of the haunting novel about a woman’s descent into postpartum depression. The film stars Robert Pattinson and Jennifer Lawrence — both new parents in real life — who bring added depth to their roles. Lawrence is expected to appear on the red carpet just two months after giving birth to her second child.

In the festival’s second programme, Un Certain Regard, a wave of actors-turned-directors steps into the spotlight. Babygirl star Harris Dickinson debuts with “Urchin”, while Kristen Stewart directs Imogen Poots in “The Chronology of Water”, an adaptation of Lidia Yuknavitch’s cult memoir. Scarlett Johansson also makes her directorial debut with “Eleanor the Great”, starring the inimitable June Squibb.

Outside the official competition, Tom Cruise is making a high-octane return to the Croisette, three years after “Top Gun: Maverick”. This time, he brings “Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning”, set to premiere later this week.

The winners will be announced on 22 May during the Closing Ceremony.

What is happening on the Cannes Red Carpet?

The Cannes Film Festival organisers raised eyebrows Monday, just hours before Tuesday’s official opening ceremony, by putting its dress rules publicly into writing for the first time. And though the official spokesperson later clarified that these rules existed all the time, in the oral format, and "It is not about regulating what people wear but to ban total nudity on the red carpet, in line with French law",they’re already stirring controversy. In a bid to restore what organisers are calling a sense of “decency,” revealing gowns and dramatically long trains that obstruct the flow of arrivals or complicate seating arrangements are now officially discouraged. Stylists — many of whom submit looks for approval in advance — were understandably stunned by the announcement. But, as ever, fashion’s best minds are adept at eleventh-hour reinvention.

"I had an amazing dress to wear tonight by Gupta, and I cannot wear it because the train is too big," Halle Berry told reporters, referring to the Indian designer Gaurav Gupta, who has previously dressed rapper Cardi B and made big statement gowns for the Met Gala. Others, though, decided to keep to their initial plan, like German model Heidi Klum, who sported a pink train that was at least three metres long on the first red carpet of the festival. Chinese actor and influencer, Wan Qianhu, also appeared in an enormous white marshmallow mountain of white taffeta. The LBD reigned again—Bella Hadid opted for a high-slit version—while elegant whites were spotted on Juliette Binoche and Leïla Slimani.

Some see the regulations as a nod to restraint and a return to old-school elegance. Others suggest a redirection of focus—from fashion spectacle back to cinematic art. Still, whispers on the Croisette suggest enforcement may be selective. Mega-celebrities like Bella Hadid and Kendall Jenner are unlikely to be affected. Insiders hint that the real targets are lesser-known “brand friends” who seek exposure on the red carpet but rarely stay for the screening. How rigorously these rules will be applied remains to be seen. But one thing’s certain: as ever, all eyes are on the red carpet.

Text: Lidia Ageeva