Nowhere is the border-crossing nature of cinema more evident than the , which kicks off Tuesday in the wake of U.S. President Donald Trump鈥檚 vow to
Cannes, where filmmakers, sales agents and journalists gather from around the world, is the Olympics of the big screen, with its own golden prize, the Palme d鈥橭r, to give out at the end. Filmmakers come from nearly every corner of the globe to showcase their films while dealmakers work through the night to sell finished films or packaged productions to various territories.
鈥淵ou release a film into that Colosseum-like situation,鈥� says Brazilian director Kleber Mendon莽a Filho, who鈥檚 returning to Cannes with 鈥淭he Secret Agent,鈥� a thriller set during Brazil鈥檚 dictatorship. 鈥淵ou鈥檝e got to really prepare for the whole experience because it鈥檚 quite intense 鈥� not very far from the feeling of approaching a roller coaster as you go up the steps at the Palais.鈥�
Perhaps as much as ever, all eyes in the movie world will be on the when it gets underway this week. That鈥檚 not just because of the long list of anticipated films set to premiere at the Cote d鈥橝zur festival (including films from Spike Lee, Wes Anderson, Lynne Ramsay, Richard Linklater and Ari Aster) and the extensive coterie of stars set to walk the fabled red carpet (Jennifer Lawrence, Denzel Washington, Robert Pattinson and Kristen Stewart among them).
As the movies, and the Oscar race, , the global launchpad of Cannes has become only more central to the larger film ecosystem 鈥� even with Recent editions of Cannes have produced a string of Academy Awards contenders, including this year鈥檚 best-picture winner,
At the same time, geopolitics course through Cannes unlike any other festival. The Cannes red carpet can be as much a platform for political protest as it is for glamour. This year鈥檚 festival will include a dissident Iranian filmmaker a Ukrainian filmmaker (Sergei Loznitsa) and the first Nigerian production in the official selection (Akinola Davies Jr.'s 鈥淢y Father's Shadow鈥�).
The many roads to Cannes
In the run-up to the festival, three filmmakers from different corners of the world spoke about their roads to the Cannes competition lineup. For many directors, reaching the Cannes competition 鈥� this year, that's 22 movies vying for the Palme d'Or 鈥� is career milestone.
鈥淚t鈥檚 meaningful for me. It鈥檚 meaningful for the country,鈥� says Oliver Hermanus, speaking from outside Cape Town. Hermanus, the South African filmmaker of and is in competition for the first time with 鈥淭he History of Sound,鈥� a period love story starring Paul Mescal and Josh O鈥機onnor.
鈥淚 was born here and made movies here for most of my career, so I still see myself as a South African filmmaker who鈥檚 interested in the South African perspective on things and South African representation,鈥� adds Hermanus. 鈥淭he competition is something I鈥檝e always wanted to be part of.鈥�
Chie Hayakawa, the Japanese filmmaker of 2022's 鈥淧lan 75,鈥� is also in competition for the first time. She first came to Cannes with a student film that she never expected to make it into the festival鈥檚 shorts program. This week, she鈥檒l debut 鈥淩enoir,鈥� a semiautobiographical tale about an 11-year-old girl with a father who has terminal cancer.
鈥淚t gives me a huge encouragement and keeps me motivated to making films,鈥� Hayakawa said from Tokyo. 鈥淚 don鈥檛 feel like I鈥檓 going to compete with other films. But it meaningful. I know how prestigious and meaningful it is to be in competition.鈥�
鈥淔ilm is global and easily crosses the borders of any country or culture,鈥� she adds. 鈥淭hat鈥檚 what special about Cannes.鈥�
Will tariffs topple Cannes?
Cannes' global approach is part of what makes this year more complicated than usual. Trump sent shock waves through Hollywood and the international film community when he announced on May 4 that all movies 鈥減roduced in Foreign Lands鈥� will face 100% tariffs.
The White House has said no final decisions have been made. Options being explored include federal incentives for U.S.-based productions, rather than tariffs. But the announcement was a reminder of how international tensions can destabilize even the oldest cultural institutions.
Filho first attended Cannes as a critic. Once he began making movies, the allure of the festival remained. To him, participating in Cannes means joining a timeline of cinema history. 鈥淭he Secret Agent鈥� marks his third time in competition.
鈥淚 have always felt that there was a seriousness that I appreciated,鈥� Filho says. 鈥淔or example, I will be attending a 2 a.m. test for sound and picture. This is done with scientist types who will take care of the projection and how everything will go.鈥�
As to the threat of tariffs? He shrugs.
鈥淚 have been trained by Brazil, because we had a very strange and weird historic moment under (former president Jair) Bolsonaro,鈥� Filho said. 鈥淚 used my training to say: This is probably some bad idea or misunderstanding that will be corrected in the coming days or weeks. Even for leaders like them, Bolsonaro and Trump, it makes no sense whatsoever.鈥�
鈥楨verything to lose, everything to gain鈥�
The Cannes Film Festival originally emerged in the World War II years, when the rise of fascism in Italy led to the founding of an alternative to the then-government controlled In the time since, Cannes鈥� resolute commitment to cinema has made it a beacon to filmmakers. Countless directors have come to make their name.
This year is no different, though some of the first-time filmmakers at Cannes are already particularly well-known. Stewart (鈥淭he Chronology of Water鈥�), Scarlett Johansson (鈥淓leanor the Great鈥�) and (鈥淯rchin鈥�) will all be unveiling their feature directorial debuts in Cannes鈥� Un Certain Regard sidebar section.
Many Cannes veterans will be back, too, including Tom Cruise Robert De Niro 49 years after 鈥淭axi Driver鈥� premiered in Cannes) and Quentin Tarantino (to pay tribute to low-budget Western director George Sherman).
Hermanus first came to Cannes with his 2011 film 鈥淏eauty.鈥� He went naively optimistic before realizing, he laughs, that a Cannes selection is 鈥渁 potential invitation to a beheading.
鈥淓ven going now with 鈥楾he History of Sound,鈥� I鈥檓 trying to be realistic about the fact that it鈥檚 a gladiatorial arena. It鈥檚 everything to lose and everything to gain,鈥� says Hermanus. 鈥淲hen Cannes selected us, it came down to me and Paul going, 鈥極h God, here comes the real stress. Will we survive the intensity of Cannes?鈥� 鈥� which we both agreed is the reason to go.鈥�
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For more coverage of the 2025 Cannes Film Festival, visit ,
Jake Coyle, The Associated Press
