20+ Cannes Titles to Be Excited About

The 2025 Cannes Film Festival takes place from Tuesday, May 13, 2025, to Saturday, May 24, 2025, and it's one of the best times of the year. The Cannes market is a fertile place where you can find the next breakout hit like The Substance or the next Oscar winner, like Anora. There are a bunch of titles we're excited about this year, but I wanted to highlight 20 of them that I think have the potential to break out. Let's dive in. 20 Cannes Titles That Excite UsOne of the things I love about Cannes is just the bubbling hopefulness of everyone showing their movies there. These are exciting titles from all over the world that could catapult a person into the mainstream and get their next movie greenlit. So, there's a lot at stake. Let's look at some titles vying for the Palme d'Or. In Competition Die, My Love (Director: Lynne Ramsay): Starring Jennifer Lawrence and Robert Pattinson, this adaptation is Ramsay's much-awaited return and is frequently cited as a top contender for the award. Eddington (Director: Ari Aster): A contemporary Western black comedy starring Joaquin Phoenix, Pedro Pascal, and Emma Stone from the acclaimed director of Hereditary and Midsommar. Alpha (Director: Julia Ducournau): The follow-up from the director of the 2021 Palme d'Or winner Titane, starring Emma Mackey and Tahar Rahim. The Phoenician Scheme (Director: Wes Anderson): Anderson returns with a spy comedy featuring his signature style and a cast including Benicio Del Toro and Michael Cera. Nouvelle Vague (Director: Richard Linklater): A film about the making of Jean-Luc Godard's iconic Breathless, starring Zoey Deutch. Sentimental Value (Affeksjonsverdi) (Director: Joachim Trier): The latest from the director of The Worst Person in the World, reuniting with star Renate Reinsve. The History of Sound (Director: Oliver Hermanus): A WWI-era story starring Paul Mescal and Josh O'Connor as men recording voices and music across America. The Mastermind (Director: Kelly Reichardt): A new film from the acclaimed indie director, known for character-driven dramas. Resurrection (Kuang Ye Shi Dai) (Director: Bi Gan): The latest feature from the director of Long Day's Journey into Night, starring Shu Qi and Jackson Yee. Sirat (Director: Oliver Laxe): Follows a father searching for his missing daughter in North Africa. The Secret Agent (O Agente Secreto) (Director: Kleber Mendonça Filho): Set in 1977 Brazil, starring Wagner Moura. It Was Just an Accident (Director: Jafar Panahi): A new film shot in secret by the acclaimed Iranian director. Jeunes Mères (The Young Mother's Home) (Directors: Jean-Pierre & Luc Dardenne): The latest from the celebrated Belgian directing duo, Cannes regulars. Renoir (Director: Chie Hayakawa): A Japanese film focusing on an 11-year-old girl coping with family illness. Fuori (Director: Mario Martone): An Italian drama about a writer who forms bonds with young inmates after being imprisoned.Un Certain RegardThe Chronology of Water (Director: Kristen Stewart): Stewart's feature directorial debut, based on Lidia Yuknavitch's memoir.Eleanor the Great (Director: Scarlett Johansson): Johansson's feature directorial debut, starring June Squibb.Heads or Tails? (Testa o Croce?) (Directors: Alessio Rigo de Righi, Matteo Zoppis): From the directors of The Tale of King Crab, featuring John C. Reilly as Buffalo Bill.Homebound (Director: Neeraj Ghaywan): A story exploring dignity and struggle in small-town India.Out of CompetitionMission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning (Director: Christopher McQuarrie): The latest high-octane installment in the action franchise starring Tom Cruise.Highest 2 Lowest (Director: Spike Lee) - This film is premiering Out of Competition but is a remake of Kurosawa's High and Low. Aranyer Din Ratri (Days and Nights in the Forest) (Director: Satyajit Ray) - This is a classic film restoration screening in the Cannes Classics section. It will be cool to see it polished and restored. Let me know which titles you're excited about in the comments.

May 12, 2025 - 22:30

The 2025 Cannes Film Festival takes place from Tuesday, May 13, 2025, to Saturday, May 24, 2025, and it's one of the best times of the year.

The Cannes market is a fertile place where you can find the next breakout hit like The Substance or the next Oscar winner, like Anora.

There are a bunch of titles we're excited about this year, but I wanted to highlight 20 of them that I think have the potential to break out.

Let's dive in.

20 Cannes Titles That Excite Us

One of the things I love about Cannes is just the bubbling hopefulness of everyone showing their movies there.

These are exciting titles from all over the world that could catapult a person into the mainstream and get their next movie greenlit.

So, there's a lot at stake.

Let's look at some titles vying for the Palme d'Or.

In Competition

Die, My Love (Director: Lynne Ramsay): Starring Jennifer Lawrence and Robert Pattinson, this adaptation is Ramsay's much-awaited return and is frequently cited as a top contender for the award.
Eddington (Director: Ari Aster): A contemporary Western black comedy starring Joaquin Phoenix, Pedro Pascal, and Emma Stone from the acclaimed director of Hereditary and Midsommar.
Alpha (Director: Julia Ducournau): The follow-up from the director of the 2021 Palme d'Or winner Titane, starring Emma Mackey and Tahar Rahim.
The Phoenician Scheme (Director: Wes Anderson): Anderson returns with a spy comedy featuring his signature style and a cast including Benicio Del Toro and Michael Cera.
Nouvelle Vague (Director: Richard Linklater): A film about the making of Jean-Luc Godard's iconic Breathless, starring Zoey Deutch.
Sentimental Value (Affeksjonsverdi) (Director: Joachim Trier): The latest from the director of The Worst Person in the World, reuniting with star Renate Reinsve.
The History of Sound (Director: Oliver Hermanus): A WWI-era story starring Paul Mescal and Josh O'Connor as men recording voices and music across America.
The Mastermind (Director: Kelly Reichardt): A new film from the acclaimed indie director, known for character-driven dramas.
Resurrection (Kuang Ye Shi Dai) (Director: Bi Gan): The latest feature from the director of Long Day's Journey into Night, starring Shu Qi and Jackson Yee.
Sirat (Director: Oliver Laxe): Follows a father searching for his missing daughter in North Africa.
The Secret Agent (O Agente Secreto) (Director: Kleber Mendonça Filho): Set in 1977 Brazil, starring Wagner Moura.
It Was Just an Accident (Director: Jafar Panahi): A new film shot in secret by the acclaimed Iranian director.
Jeunes Mères (The Young Mother's Home) (Directors: Jean-Pierre & Luc Dardenne): The latest from the celebrated Belgian directing duo, Cannes regulars.
Renoir (Director: Chie Hayakawa): A Japanese film focusing on an 11-year-old girl coping with family illness.
Fuori (Director: Mario Martone): An Italian drama about a writer who forms bonds with young inmates after being imprisoned.

Un Certain Regard

The Chronology of Water (Director: Kristen Stewart): Stewart's feature directorial debut, based on Lidia Yuknavitch's memoir.
Eleanor the Great (Director: Scarlett Johansson): Johansson's feature directorial debut, starring June Squibb.
Heads or Tails? (Testa o Croce?) (Directors: Alessio Rigo de Righi, Matteo Zoppis): From the directors of The Tale of King Crab, featuring John C. Reilly as Buffalo Bill.
Homebound (Director: Neeraj Ghaywan): A story exploring dignity and struggle in small-town India.

Out of Competition

Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning (Director: Christopher McQuarrie): The latest high-octane installment in the action franchise starring Tom Cruise.
Highest 2 Lowest (Director: Spike Lee) - This film is premiering Out of Competition but is a remake of Kurosawa's High and Low.
Aranyer Din Ratri (Days and Nights in the Forest) (Director: Satyajit Ray) - This is a classic film restoration screening in the Cannes Classics section. It will be cool to see it polished and restored.

Let me know which titles you're excited about in the comments.