The 78th Cannes Film Festival opened in grand style on May 13, 2025, on the French Riviera, marking the start of a 12-day global celebration of cinema. At the opening ceremony, Robert De Niro received an honorary Palme d’Or, presented by Leonardo DiCaprio, and used his speech to criticize U.S. President Donald Trump’s proposed 100% tariffs on foreign films.
The event featured the premiere of “Leave One Day” by Amélie Bonnin and a musical tribute to David Lynch by Mylène Farmer. Jury president Juliette Binoche addressed issues like war, climate change, and misogyny, and paid tribute to Palestinian photojournalist Fatima Hassouna, recently killed in Gaza.
India has a strong presence at Cannes 2025:
- Payal Kapadia, Indian jury member, expressed gratitude for representing India.
- Satyajit Ray’s 1970 classic “Aranyer Din Ratri” will screen in the Classics section.
- Neeraj Ghaywan’s “Homebound” is selected for Un Certain Regard.
- Anupam Kher debuts as director with “Tanvi: The Great”, premiering at Marché du Film.
- SRFTI’s “A Doll Made Up of Clay” will also be showcased.
