#Cannes2025 Buzz

April 1st Update: Yesterday my favorite Cannes Insider started to publish annual 100 films for Cannes and this list will be updated with those films that call my attention. If you wish to read the annual Wask 100 film list go to the official site here and Enjoy the magnificent work.

It's interesting to find in below list 3 well-know actors with their directing debut feature film and more interesting when industry pundits include them in their own list of Cannes 2025 films. There is high buzz for Kristen Stewart debut as well as Scarlet Johansson debut and now Harris Dickinson has also his debut and with enough buzz to be considered for Cannes, if his film is ready.

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March 11th Update: There are many new films and we haven't reach the middle of March, so expect more during March's second quarter. Yes, I will be constantly updating below list, so check often to find new films.

Among the new ones, there is one that called my attention Mother by Teona Strugar Mitevska with none other than Noomi Rapace playing Mother Teresa! I have to see it. Perhaps you will rebember the director's 2019 God Exists, Her Name is Petrunya and then there is no surprise she dares to tell Mother's Teresa story.

Still, there is not much info about films in post-production, especially those that haven't found a distributor yet; but by now, I'm starting to get an idea about which film could go to the competition, out-of-competition-, UCR, La Semanine or La Quinzaine. So, soon will choose a few films to research different sources, including sellers and/or distributors, to gather a bird's view of what film could become when exposed to juries and/or audiences.

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March 5, 2025
Berlin Film Festival is over and as many say, Cannes has just started; so, no surprise that there are several industry sources with speculations about films that could go to the main and other sections of Cannes 2025.

Now is my turn. Not always is easy to find reliable info about the status of films but I will try my best using different European more than American sources. My first list is more about hopes than realities as know during March is when news start to be more status specific and becomes easy to know which filmmakers could go to Cannes.

But most of all, the list is about films that sooner or later we will be able to watch and from this small list, the panorama looks auspicious as there are some films with extraordinary directors that could and hopefully will blow our brains, eyes and hearts.

No date yet, but expect mid-April for Cannes Selection press conference as well as the announcement for the collateral sections. Then the guessing game will be over. Sigh.

Whatever happens the list has great news as there are outstanding filmmakers with movies that could be released in 2025 for us to be watched ASAP.

As we know, Juliette Binoche will preside over the International Jury of the 78th Festival de Cannes and it happens exactly 40 years after here first appearance on La Croisette. She will succeed Greta Gerwing and for the second time in the Festival's history (i.e. 78 years), one woman in film will the take up the torch from another.

So, what do we have in below list? Later in the month will chose the films that I believe should be in Cannes will go deep into them but for now, here is brief summary for a few excepcional films and/or films that called my attention after reading so much about all of them.

Most interesting is that there is a remake of Akira Kurosawa's High and Low (1963) by none other than Spike Lee and starring Denzel Washington, my curiosity became at its highest level with the news. Also great news come from Jodie Foster speaking French in a Rebecca Zlotowski's film where Virginia Efira also stars! Then there is a film with Jennifer Lawrence and by a great female director Lynne Ramsay that has a few "but" from me, like co-star is Robert Pattinson and is labeled as comedy-horror, yak!

A few weeks ago found out that what I consider the best actor in the world, Tony Leung (thank you Won Kar Wai for your masterpiece In the Mood for Love) and one of my favorite actresses, Léa Seydoux are working together, in the same film (!!!) and, brace yourself, in a film directed by none other than Ildiko Enyedi! Film has to go to Cannes.  Of course, I'm dying to see it.  LOL.

Having the possibility of another Carlos Reygadas film is absolutely breathtaking and no better news than Joachim Trier and Renate Reinsve have a film, plus Pálmason, Akin, Serebrenikov and perhaps the only American filmmaker that really interest me, Paul Thomas Anderson all having films that sooner or later we will be able to see, have to be outstanding news!

Update: According to recent news from reliable source, the Cannes press conference of the Official Selections should be on April 17, the Critics' Week on April 21 and Director's Fortnight on April 22. Seems source was not that much reliable as Official Selection press conference will be on April 10th, consequently and if is similar to past years, Critics week could announce on Monday April 14 and Director's Fortnight on Tuesday, April 15.

Good probabilities

Ástin sem eftir er (The Love That Remains), Hlynur Pálmason
Dao, Alain Gomis
De Gaulle - Partie 1 (De Gaulle Part 1), Antonin Baudry (most likely special screening to give push equal to last year Count of Montecristo)
Die My Love, Lynn Ramsay (Jennifer Lawrence, Robert Pattinson)
Dracula, Luc Besson (Caleb Landry Jones, Christoph Waltz) (Franch relase July 30, most likely out of competition)
Eagles of the Republic, Tarik Saleh (post-production) (Cheren Dabis! and Fares Fares) (Final film in Cairo Trilogy)
Eddington, Ari Aster (Joaquin Phoenix, Emma Stone) (post-production)
호프 Hopeu (Hope), Na Hong-jin (English-language debut filmed in Korea, Alicia Vikander, Michael Fassbender)
狂野时代 Kuang ye shi dai (Resurrection), Bi Gan (Pre-sales by Les Films du Losange)
La Ola (The Wave), Sebastian Lelio (musical)
La Maison Maternelle (Young Mother), Jean-Pierre and Luc Dardenne
La Misteriosa Mirada del Flamenco (The Mysterious Gaze of the Flamingo), Diego Céspedes (if in Cannes Céspedes debut feature could go to La Semaine - LGTBQ+ interest - short developed in Cinefondation - with Alfredo Castro)
L'Inconnu de la Grande Arche, Stéphane Demoustie (post-production) (Sidse Babett Knudsen, Xavier Dolan, Claes Bang)
L’Intérêt d’Adam, Laura Wandel (Les Films du Fleuve production - Dardene bros.)
Les roches rouges (Red Rocks), Bruno Dumont
Marcel et Monsieur Pagnol (The Magnificent LIfe of Marcel Pagnol), Sylvain Chomet (animation, biopic) (Oct 15 release in France) (remember Les Triplettes de Belleville?)
Materialists, Celine Song (release date June 13) (Chris Evans, Pablo Pascal)
Miroirs No. 3, Christian Petzold (Was expected in Berllinale...)
Mother, Teona Strugar Mitevska (Noomi Rapace as Mother Teresa!!!)
Nouvelle Vague, Richard Linklater  (post-production) (in French and about Godard ...)
Orwell, Raoul Peck (documentary)
Rembrandt (The Rembrandt Syndrome), Pierre Schoeller (Out of Competition, Camille Cottin, Romain Duris)
Renoir, Chie Hayakawa (June 20 release in Japan)
Sentimental Value, Joachim Trier (Renate Reinsve)
The Disappearance of Joseph Mengele, Kirill Serebrenikkov (post-production)
The Doctor Says, I’ll Be Alright But I’m Feelin’ Blue, Mascha Schilinski (HIGH Buzzz!)
The Mastermind, Kelly Reichardt (post-production) (Josh O'Connor, Alana Haim)
The Phoenician Scheme, Wes Anderson (USA limited release on May 30)
The Way of the Wind, Terence Malick  (Matthias Schoenaerts, Mark Rylance) (Malick is still editing ...)
Une Affaire (An Affair), Arnoud Desplechin
Une Illusion qui a bel et bien existé, Naomi Kawase (Vicky Krieps - probably Premiere)
Urchin, Harris Dickinson (debut film - probably UCR)
Vie Privée (Private Life), Rebecca Zlotowski (Jodie Foster speaking French and Virginie Efira) (post-production)
Yes!, Nadav Lapid

I Hope (films "dying" to see)

Chronology Of Water, Kristen Stewart (Berlinale pre-sales by Les Films du Losange - latest news: will it be ready? I hope. If goes to Cannes then probably will be in UCR)
Estela de Sombra (Wake of Umbra), Carlos Reygadas (seems is not ready at all - sigh)
Silent Friend, Ildiko Enyedi (Tony Leung and Léa Seydoux!!!)

Maybe Cannes, Maybe Venice

A Big Bold Beautiful Journey, Kogonada (he directed Pachinko release delayed from May 9 to September 19) (Margot Robbie, Colin Farrell)
After the Hunt, Luca Guadagnino (Julia Roberts) (October release - Venice)
Amrum, Fatih Akin (Diane Kruger) (Germany release in September 2025)
Ann Lee, Mona Fastvold (Brady Corbet wife, now she directs he writes) (musical) (most likely Venice)
Árva (Orphan), László Nemes (post-production)
At The Sea, Kornél Mundruczó (USA film)
Bugonia, Yorgos Lanthimos (Venice)
Butterfly Jam, Kantemir Balagov (Riley Keough and Barry Keoghan) (Bigelov's first English-language film)
Calle Malaga, Maryam Touzani (remember The Blue Caftan) (Carmen Maura) (post-production)
Caught Stealing, Darren Aronofsky (Austin Brutler and Zoe Kravitz) (August 27 release in France)
Dracula, Radu Jude (Kontinental 25 went to Berlin, Dracula goes to Cannes or Venice)
Eleanor The Great, Scarlett Johansson (debut film) (June Squibb)
Enzo, Robin Campillo (Laurent Cantet last work, gay interest, in post-production)
F1, Joseph Kosinski (Brad Pitt, Javier Bardem) (Venice)
Father, Mother, Sister, Brother, Jim Jarmusch (Cate Blanchett, Adam Driver) (is in post-production)
Fuori, Mario Martone (Valeria Golino)
God Will Not Help, Hana Jušić (with Manuela Martelli - 1st feature went to 2016 Giornate degli Autori, if gets into probably will be in UCR or Quinzaine)
Hamnet, Chloé Zhao (Venice)
Highest 2 Lowest, Spike Lee (Denzel Washington) (post-production) (could go Cannes and probably Competition)
In The Hand of Dante, Julian Schanbel (Most likely Venice) (Oscar Isaac, Martin Scorsese cameo, Gal Gadot)
左撇子女孩 Left-Handed Girl, Shih-Ching Tsou (co-written and edited by Sean Barker)
Love On Trial, Koji Fukada (Venice?)
O Agente Secreto (The Secret Agent), Kleber Mendonça Filho
One Battle after Another, Paul Thomas Anderson (release date moved from August 8, probably will be in Venice - release date moved again, now is September 26)
Pillion, Harry Lighton (UCR or parallel section) (gay interest, Alexander Skarsgard, Harryy Melling
Romería, Carla Simon (Sales by MK2 Films)
Rosebush Pruning, Karim Aïnouz (remake of Marco Bellocchio's I pugni in tasca) (Riley Keough, Callum Turner, Elena Anaya)
Sacrifice, Romain Gavras (English-language debut, Venice?) (Anya Taylor-Joy, Chris Evans, Vincent Cassel, John Malkovich)
Svečias (The Visitor), Vytautas Katkus (developed in La Semaine winning Next Sterp Prize - debut feature)
Sons, Pablo Trapero (Bill Nighy - first film in English)
The Bride!, Maggie Gyllenhaal (Jake Gyllenhaal, Peter Sarsgaard, Annette Bening, Christian Bale) (September 25 release in France)
The History of Sound, Oliver Hermanus (Josh O'Connor - gay interest)
The Wizard of the Kremlin, Olivier Assayas (Alicia Vikander) (just finished filming, post-production)
Two Prosecutors, Sergei Loznitsa (post-production - if goes to Cannes could be in Competition)
Unidentified, Haifaa Al Mansour (post-production, Venice?)

Not Sure will be Ready

Alpha, Julia Ducournau (Tahar Rahim) (rushing to go Cannes, but not ready yet)
Couture, Alice Winocour (Angelina Jolie, Louis Garrel) (selling in Berlin)
Jupiter, Andrei Zvyagintsev  (listed as in pre-production, so Cannes 2026?)
I Want Your Sex, Gregg Araki
La Grazia, Paolo Sorrentino (Spring filming - Venice?)
Musk, Alex Gibney (documentary) (no comments)
No Other Choice, Park Chan-wook (Release later this year - Venice?) (Remake of Le Couperet by Costa-Gavras)
Que ma volonté soit faite, Julia Kowalski
The Avenging Silence, Nicolas Winding Refn (shooting 2026? or shot in 2024 ... still conflicting rumors, but if shot in 2024 Cannes seems a sure thing)
The Entertainment System is Down, Ruben Östlund (Keanu Reeves, Kirsten Dunst) (still filming in Budapest?)
The Fountains of Paradise, Apichatpong Weerasethakul (pre-production, filming 2026)

There are more names being speculated in different media outlets but being only my first list covers many well-known established filmmakers and a few newcomers that can stir the industry because of their celebrity status (Stewart and Johansson) and a German director (Schilinski) that is making huge word-of-mouth waves with her second film.

Let's not forget that noise comes from announced films and news about being submitted to Cannes; still, the different sections of the festival have to accept them. Know is obvious but with all the noise is better we recall this simple fact.

The usual USA blockbuster seems this year will be Mission: Impossible - The Final Reckoning, there are (were?) other titles like Superman, Elio (Disney said NO), 28 Years Later, and F1 in consideration but, somehow disappeared as March news begin to drop.