4 April 2025

As we count down to the days when the Cannes line-up will be announced (10 April 2025), CineEuropa has entered the debate with the following:

The best-kept secrets are those that leak as late as possible. Because of a wish to keep the media in the dark or because of the absolute trust it has in its ability to adapt at the last minute, given the reassuring glut of talents on offer, the official selection of the 78th Cannes Film Festival (13-24 May) has this year held on to the reins of its invitations like seldom before, a move which is having a domino effect on general expectations and the parallel sections’ decisions.

Nevertheless, things are hotting up exactly one week ahead of the official selection press conference in Paris, during which Thierry Frémaux (accompanied by president Iris Knobloch) will unveil some of the cards up his sleeve, with a healthy armful of additions being expected at a later date. Having said that, the viewings by the Cannes selection committees still continue apace (the surprise move to bring the press conference forwards by a week having disrupted certain presentation plans by the producers of films still in post-production), and the Venice Film Festival is also keeping a close eye on the revelations in order to make potential counteroffers. Therefore, overall, things are basically as clear as mud for the cinephile forecasters, who are making amendments to their lists left, right and centre while also hoping to make out some glimmers of certainty here and there. Still, let’s gaze into the crystal ball for the 2025 edition of Cannes, which on paper appears to be of a very lofty level, given the plethora of high-calibre contenders waiting in line.

In competition, standing out among the probable titles … are Father, Mother, Sister, Brother by US helmer Jim Jarmusch, The Secret Agent by Brazil’s Kleber Mendonça Filho, Sentimental Value by Norway’s Joachim Trier, The Young Mothers’ Home by Belgium’s Luc and Jean-Pierre Dardenne, Die, My Love by Scottish filmmaker Lynne Ramsay … [my emphasis]

Thanks to JLawSource for the heads up.

Wowza – I’m in! No release dates as yet, but 2025 is looking like a great Rob year.

Thanks Film Crave