Written by Kianna Best on Apr 10, 2025. Posted in Awards and Festivals

Wes Anderson, Ari Aster, and Richard Linklater Lead the Charge of Cannes 2025 official selection

The 78th Cannes Film Festival, scheduled from 13 to 24 May has unveiled a compelling and diverse lineup for its Official Selection, cementing the festival’s reputation as the pinnacle of international cinema. This year’s competition brings together some of the most daring and imaginative voices in filmmaking from Wes Anderson to Spike Lee,  offering a powerful mix of returning Cannes veterans and bold new auteurs. With genres ranging from espionage comedies to Western noirs and historical dramas, the selection highlights the artistic vibrancy and global scope of contemporary cinema.

Image courtesy of Festival de Cannes

Leading the competition is Wes Anderson's The Phoenician Scheme, an espionage black comedy boasting an ensemble cast that includes Benicio del Toro, Mia Threapleton, Michael Cera, and Tom Hanks. The film, co-written with Roman Coppola, was shot at Babelsberg Studio in Germany and is set for a U.S. release on 30 May, 2025.

Ari Aster's Eddington also joins the competition. This contemporary Western black comedy stars Joaquin Phoenix as Sheriff Joe Cross, alongside Pedro Pascal and Emma Stone. Filming took place in New Mexico, and the movie is slated for a U.S. release later this year. ​

Richard Linklater makes his Cannes competition debut with Nouvelle Vague, a French-language film depicting the making of Jean-Luc Godard's Breathless. The cast features Guillaume Marbeck as Godard and Zoey Deutch as Jean Seberg. The project was filmed in France and marks a significant departure from Linklater's previous works.

Julia Ducournau, who made history with her 2021 Palme d'Or win for Titane, returns with Alpha. Set in a fictional 1980s city inspired by New York, the film follows an 11-year-old girl confronting the AIDS epidemic's impact on her family. Golshifteh Farahani and Tahar Rahim lead the cast. ​

Oliver Hermanus's The History of Sound is another anticipated entry. Based on Ben Shattuck's short story, it chronicles the journey of two men, played by Paul Mescal and Josh O'Connor, recording folk songs in rural New England during 1919. The film explores themes of love and loss against a historical backdrop. ​

The Dardenne brothers present Jeunes Mères, while Kelly Reichardt's The Mastermind and Jafar Panahi's Un Simple Accident add to the festival's robust lineup. Notably, six of the 19 competition films are directed by women, reflecting Cannes' commitment to diverse storytelling.

In the Un Certain Regard section, Scarlett Johansson makes her directorial debut with Eleanor the Great, and Harris Dickinson presents Urchin.These films highlight the festival's dedication to showcasing new directorial voices. ​

Out of competition, audiences can look forward to the premiere of Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning, with Tom Cruise expected to attend. Additionally, Spike Lee's Highest 2 Lowest will screen, following confirmation of Denzel Washington's participation. ​

Juliette Binoche will preside over the jury, marking the second consecutive year a woman holds this position. The festival will honor Robert De Niro with an Honorary Palme d'Or during the opening ceremony.