Written by Kianna Best on May 25, 2025. Posted in Awards and Festivals

Cannes Film Festival Awards 2025 winners

The 78th Cannes Film Festival concluded on 24 May, with Iranian filmmaker Jafar Panahi receiving the Palme d'Or for his provocative thriller It Was Just an Accident. This win marks a significant return for Panahi, whose 15-year travel ban was lifted in 2023, allowing him to attend the festival in person. The award was presented by jury president Juliette Binoche and actress Cate Blanchett, both vocal supporters of Panahi's work .

It Was Just an Accident is a satirical drama inspired by stories Panahi heard during his imprisonment in Evin Prison. The film critiques the Iranian regime, focusing on a group seeking justice for past torture . Despite being shot without government permission, the film's powerful narrative resonated with audiences and critics alike.

The Grand Prix was awarded to Joachim Trier’s Sentimental Value, a poignant exploration of memory and loss. The Jury Prize was shared between Oliver Laxe’s Sirât, a hallucinatory journey through the Moroccan desert, and Mascha Schilinski’s Sound of Falling, which delves into generational female suffering.

It Was Just An Accident dir. Jafar Panahi (image courtesy of Festival de Cannes)

Brazilian actor Wagner Moura won Best Actor for his role in The Secret Agent, a political thriller set during Brazil's military dictatorship. The film also earned Kleber Mendonça Filho the Best Director award . Nadia Melliti received Best Actress for her performance in The Little Sister, a coming-of-age drama about a young woman navigating her identity in a conservative family .

The Best Screenplay award went to the Dardenne brothers for Young Mothers, continuing their tradition of socially conscious storytelling. Chinese director Bi Gan's Resurrection received a special mention for its genre-blending cinematic homage.

In the Un Certain Regard section, Chilean drama The Mysterious Gaze of the Flamingo by Diego Céspedes won the top prize. Other notable winners included A Poet by Simón Mesa Soto (Jury Prize), and Once Upon a Time in Gaza by Tarzan and Arab Nasser (Best Director) .

I'm Glad You're Dead Now dir. Tawfeek Barhom (image courtesy of Festival de Cannes)

The festival also recognised emerging talent, with The President's Cake by Hasan Hadi winning the Caméra d'Or for best debut feature. In the short films category, I'm Glad You're Dead Now by Tawfeek Barhom received the Palme d'Or.

As the curtain closed on Cannes 2025, the festival's commitment to both cinematic activism and legacy was underscored by its honorary Palme d'Or tributes. This year, two titans of American cinema, Denzel Washington and Robert De Niro, were celebrated for their lifelong contributions to the art of film.

Despite power outages in Cannes and Nice due to suspected sabotage, the festival proceeded with backup power, highlighting the resilience of the event and its commitment to showcasing global cinema.