Hollywood Legends and Future Trailblazers Shine at Cannes 2025

Sharp Staff May 8, 2025

Visiting the Cannes Film Festival on the picturesque French Riviera means being surrounded by its storied legacy and Hollywood significance as you stroll past posters of icons such as Audrey Hepburn, Marlon Brando and Sophia Loren that have adorned the Palais des Festivals over decades. A Cannes stamp of approval remains one of the greatest honours a filmmaker can receive, thanks to its established global reputation for excellence.

While Cannes proudly honours its rich history and prestigious standing, it retains its status as the premier film festival around the world because it also keeps its sights set firmly on the future. The festival spotlights filmmakers who push boundaries and take risks in pursuit of artistry. That’s how trailblazers are born.

Eddington

Joaquin Phoenix, Emma Stone, Pedro Pascal and Austin Butler star in Eddington. (Photos: VVS Films.)

One of the trailblazing directors attending the 2025 Cannes Film Festival is Ari Aster. The visionary filmmaker rose to prominence with films such as Hereditary, Midsommar and Beau Is Afraid, helping usher in a new era of horror that explores complex emotions like grief and mental health.

Aster will make his Cannes debut with the hotly anticipated western Eddington (pictured above). The film stars Joaquin Phoenix, Emma Stone, Pedro Pascal and Austin Butler and centres on the rivalry between a small-town sheriff and a mayor during a pandemic in Eddington, Mexico.

Aster subverts the western genre by capturing intense paranoia and sociopolitical turmoil during the pandemic. Look out for Austin Butler’s standout performance, showcasing his versatility taking on the role of a radical cult leader.

Watching an Ari Aster film is like Willy Wonka on a tunnel-of-terror ride. His unique storytelling ability takes audiences on a hypnotic and often disturbing journey to an unknown destination — you’re at his whim as he guides you along for the ride.

Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning

Tom Cruise wraps the franchise with Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning. (Photo: Paramount Pictures.)

Another trailblazer on the red carpet at Cannes is Hollywood megastar Tom Cruise, as the Mission Impossible saga reaches its dramatic conclusion with Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning.

Ethan Hunt must recover a terrifying new weapon that threatens all of humanity if it falls into the wrong hands. With control of the future and the fate of the world at stake, a deadly race around the globe ensues.

For over four decades, Tom Cruise has been one of Hollywood’s biggest names, and he continues to push the limits of cinema. Through Mission Impossible, Top Gun and Edge of Tomorrow, Cruise has set new standards for action films and regularly puts his body on the line. The actor has cemented his legacy as one of the greatest movie stars of all time, yet he still embraces dangerous stunts to thrill audiences worldwide.

Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning will be no exception: Cruise was filmed hanging upside down from a plane during shooting in England. Cannes audiences are in for an adrenaline-fueled thrill ride only he can deliver.

Highest 2 Lowest

Spike Lee returns to Cannes with Highest 2 Lowest, a thriller starring Denzel Washington and A$AP Rocky. The film follows a music mogul targeted in a ransom plot who becomes embroiled in a life-or-death moral dilemma.

The Do the Right Thing director has built a reputation as one of the 21st century’s most prominent filmmakers, and he isn’t afraid to take risks. Highest 2 Lowest is a bold gambit, reinterpreting Akira Kurosawa’s critically acclaimed classic High and Low.

When Lee adapted the Asian cinema classic Oldboy, it was panned by critics and audiences alike. However, that hasn’t deterred him from tackling High and Low.

This high-stakes gamble makes Highest 2 Lowest one of the most exciting additions to the Cannes line-up, even before considering the star power of two-time Academy Award-winner Denzel Washington, whose presence can elevate any film.

Die, My Love

One of the most hotly anticipated additions to the Cannes line-up is Lynne Ramsay’s Die, My Love, starring Jennifer Lawrence, Robert Pattinson and LaKeith Stanfield. The dark comedy follows a mother who develops postpartum depression and descends into psychosis.

After the critical acclaim of Mickey 17, Robert Pattinson is booked with Die, My Love, Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey, Batman 2, and The Drama—and is rumoured to join the cast of Dune: Messiah. This streak will further cement Pattinson’s status as a Hollywood legend for years to come.

The Phoenician Scheme

But the 78th Cannes Film Festival offers far more than its marquee titles. Official Competition contenders include The Phoenician Scheme by Wes Anderson, Kelly Reichardt’s Vietnam‑era drama The Mastermind, Joachim Trier’s family saga Sentimental Value and Richard Linklater’s French‑language romance Nouvelle Vague, all of which are vying for the Palme d’Or. In Un Certain Regard, look for Scarlett Johansson’s directorial debut Eleanor the Great and Akinola Davies Jr.’s My Father’s Shadow, Nigeria’s first selection in the festival’s main sidebar. Meanwhile Julia Ducournau returns with her visceral body‑horror tale Alpha and Jafar Panahi makes his long‑awaited comeback with A Simple Accident.

The Mastermind

Finally, legendary actor, director and producer Robert De Niro will also be honoured with the festival’s Honorary Palme d’Or for lifetime achievement at the opening ceremony of the 78th Festival de Cannes – 14 years after he presided over the jury in 2011.

From his early collaborations with Brian De Palma in The Wedding Party and Greetings to his iconic turns in Scorsese classics such as Mean Streets and Taxi Driver (which won the Palme d’Or in 1976), as well as his Oscar-winning performance in The Godfather Part II, De Niro has continually redefined cinematic acting with his meticulous, interiorized style.