The prestigious 78th Cannes Film Festival opened in grand style on the French Riviera, featuring a dazzling red carpet and a stirring opening ceremony. This marks the beginning of a 12-day celebration of global cinema, uniting filmmakers, stars, and cinephiles from around the world.
At the opening ceremony, highly acclaimed Veteran American actor, producer, and director, Robert De Niro, received an honorary Palme d’Or, 49 years after Taxi Driver won the festival’s top prize. Presented by Leonardo DiCaprio, De Niro used his speech to criticise U.S. President Donald Trump’s proposed 100 per cent tariffs on foreign films.
The ceremony opened with the premiere of Leave One Day by Amélie Bonnin, accompanied by a musical tribute to filmmaker David Lynch from French pop icon Mylène Farmer.
Cannes Film Festival’s jury members grace the red carpet in style. Jury president Juliette Binoche addressed pressing global issues, war, climate change, and misogyny, calling art a powerful witness to human suffering. She also paid tribute to Palestinian photojournalist Fatima Hassouna, who was killed in Gaza just days after a documentary featuring her was selected for Cannes.
Meanwhile, India is once again set to shine on the global cinematic stage, as it prepares to make a strong impression at this year’s Cannes Film Festival. Jury member and All We Imagine As Light’s Indian filmmaker Payal Kapadia has expressed gratitude after representing India at the Cannes 2025.
Legendary filmmaker Satyajit Ray’s 1970 classic ‘Aranyer Din Ratri’, starring Soumitra Chatterjee and Sharmila Tagore, will be screened in the Classics section at the Cannes.
Director Neeraj Ghaywan’s second feature film, ‘Homebound’, has been selected for the Uncertain Regard section at Cannes 2025. Indian actor Anupam Kher makes his directorial debut with ‘Tanvi: The Great’, which is set to have its world premiere at the Marché du Film (Cannes Film Market) during the festival. The Satyajit Ray Film and Television Institute (SRFTI) production ‘A Doll Made Up of Clay’ will be showcased at Cannes.
