15 “The Secret Agent”
dir. Kleber Mendonça Filho
Brazil is back, baby. If you thought “I’m Still Here” got the Brazilian online community in a flutter, get ready for Kleber Mendonça Filho’s follow-up to 2019’s “Bacurau.” Set in 1977 amid the military dictatorship, “The Secret Agent” finds Wagner Moura (“Civil War,” “Narcos”) portraying a technology expert on the run. He hopes to find refuge in the city of Recife during Carnival Week. He soon discovers that is not the case. The cast also includes Gabriel Leone (“Ferrari”) and the one and only Udo Kier. It is currently a U.S. acquisition title.
14 “Pillion”
dir. Harry Lighton
Already nominated for the Camera d’Or, Harry Lighton‘s feature directorial debut is an adaptation of celebrated British writer Adam Mars-Jones‘ 2020 novel “Box Hill.” Already acquired by A24, the re-titled “Pillion” centers on a biker, Ray (Alexander Skarsgård), who takes on a “timid man,” Colin (Harry Melling), as his submissive. Is it a gay, British “Babygirl”? Or something better, er, more?
13 “Honey Don’t!”
dir. Ethan Coen
We may have been disappointed by Coen’s last solo directorial effort, “Drive-Away Dolls,” but there is no way he’s not making it high up on this list with “Honey Don’t!” Debuting out of competition as a Midnight Screening, “Honey” is the second in an anticipated “lesbian B-Movie” trilogy written by Coen and his wife Tricia Cooke. It also features a head-turning cast including Margaret Qualley, Aubrey Plaza, Chris Evans, Charlie Day, and Billy Eichner. Focus already has it locked in for an August 22 release in the States.
12 “It Was Just An Accident”
dir. Jafar Panahi
Acclaimed Iranian director Jafar Panahi returns to Cannes after his 2022 release “No Bears,” which debuted at Venice, saw him sentenced to six years in prison and earn a 20-year ban from working. He was released in 2023 after a hunger strike. Somehow, he has written and directed a new film without his ban officially being lifted. The official synopsis reads, “What begins as a minor accident sets in motion a series of escalating consequences.” It is unclear if Panahi will be allowed to travel to Cannes for the premiere, but it appears unlikely. Festival director Thierry Frémaux would prefer that as little of the film be leaked as possible. It is a U.S. acquisition target, although new Oscar rules make it unlikely to be an International Film Oscar submission.
11 “Nouvelle Vague (New Wave)”
dir. Richard Linklater
A very unexpected choice for the American independent film maestro, “Vague” follows the making of Jean-Luc Godard’s 1960 cinematic masterpiece, “Breathless.” Guillaume Marbeck makes his feature acting debut as Godard while Zoey Deutch plays American actress Jean Seberg. It’s unknown whether the film will mostly be in French, English, or some sort of middle ground, but it will feature a plethora of actors portraying French cinematic icons of the era, including François Truffaut, Agnès Varda, Jean Cocteau, and Éric Rohmer, among others. In theory, this In Competition title is a prime acquisition title for U.S. distributors.
10 “The Wave”
dir. Sebastián Lelio
After remaking “Gloria Bell” with Julianne Moore for A24 and diving into a period English mystery with “The Wonder” and Florence Pugh, the Oscar winner makes his Cannes debut in Cannes Classics with “The Wave.” An original musical from composer Matthew Herbert and seventeen female Chilean musicians, the movie is inspired by the events of the 2018 feminist protests and strikes in the South American country. Pablo Larrain is one of four producers on the project. In theory, it’s not a great sign the film wasn’t selected for competition, and yet…this is still the director of “A Fantastic Woman” we’re talking about.
9 “The History of Sound”
dir. Oliver Hermanus
Already acquired by MUBI for release in the U.S., “Sound” is an adaptation of Ben Shattuck‘s short story of the same name. The film follows Lionel (Paul Mescal) and David (Josh O’Connor), who meet in 1916 and then travel during the summer of 1919 to record folk songs in rural New England. This is the second gay love story for both Mescal and O’Connor, who starred in “All of Us Strangers” and “God’s Own Country,” respectively. Focus Features and Universal Pictures have overseas rights as they did for both “The Brutalist” and “Anora.” Hermanus, best known for the Oscar-nominated “Living” and “Moffie,” returns to Cannes for the first time since “Beauty” won the Queer Palm in 2011. Are you putting the pieces of the puzzle together yet?
8 “Highest 2 Lowest”
dir. Spike Lee
We’ll be honest, the out-of-competition slot and an August 22 theatrical release date for just two weeks before hitting Apple TV+ has us somewhat concerned, but we haven’t had Spike Lee and Denzel Washington together since “Inside Man” almost 20 years ago. Their track record speaks for itself.
7 “Alpha”
dir. Julia Ducournau
The “Titane” Palme d’Or-winning auteur returns to La Croisette with another body horror extravaganza. Little is known about the movie except the synopsis, which reads, “Alpha, a troubled 13-year-old, lives with her single mom. Their world collapses the day she returns from school with a tattoo on her arm.” The cast includes Rahavard Farahani (“Extraction,” “Invasion”), Tahar Rahim (“A Prophet,” “Napoleon”), and Emma Mackey (“Sex Education,” the upcoming “Ella MacCay”), among others, so a good portion of it may be in English. NEON has U.S. distribution rights, but no release date has been announced as of posting.
6 “Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning”
dir. Christoper McQuarrie
After almost 30 years and seven previous films, this is it, right? This is Tom Cruise‘s last run as Ethan Hunt, correct? If it is, what a send off with a premiere on La Croisette. Previews have been somewhat thin on plot details, but the movie should follow Hunt (Cruise) as he attempts to stop Gabriel (Esai Morales) from obtaining the AI program known as “the entity.” Hayley Atwell, Ving Rhames, Simon Pegg, Henry Czerny, and Angela Bassett return.
5 “The Phoenician Scheme”
dir. Wes Anderson
Anderson’s third film in a row to debut In Competition, “The Phoenician Scheme” puts Benicio del Toro front and center as Zsa-zsa Korda, a European businessman who has survived one assassination attempt after another and fears his time may be running out. In a surprise, he appoints his only daughter, a young nun named Sister Liesl (Mia Threapleton), as his sole heir. The pair then embarks on an adventure to implement Korda’s grand scheme. As always, Anderson recruits a stellar cast, including Michael Cera, Tom Hanks, Bryan Cranston, Mathieu Amalric, Riz Ahmed, Scarlett Johansson, Jeffrey Wright, and Benedict Cumberbatch. Most importantly, Oscar-winning production designer Adam Stockhausen returns.
4 “The Mastermind”
dir. Kelly Reichardt
Riechardt, who screened “Showing Up” at Cannes in 2022 and was part of the jury in 2019, brings her latest wonder, a crime movie starring Josh O’Connor, Alana Haim, John Magaro, Gaby Hoffman, Eli Gelb, Hope Davis, and Bill Camp. The synopsis? “In a sedate corner of Massachusetts circa 1970, JB Mooney (O’Connor), an unemployed carpenter turned amateur art thief, plans his first big heist. When things go haywire, his life unravels.” MUBI has North American rights and, call us crazy, but…could this be the first Reichardt movie to truly break out? Even at the art house box office?
3 “Die My Love”
dir. Lynne Ramsay
We don’t know about you, but we’re ready for a Jennifer Lawrence comeback. The Best Actress winner has only appeared in three films since the pandemic, and one was an R-rated comedy that most moviegoers have already forgotten. In “Die My Love,” she collaborates with Ramsey for the British auteur’s first feature work since 2017’s “You Were Never Really Here.” Based on Ariana Harwicz’s 2012 novel “Matate, amor,” the setting has been moved from France to Montana, but the story is essentially the same. Lawrence plays a woman struggling with mental issues as her marriage falls apart. The rest of the cast include Robert Pattinson, LaKeith Stanfield, Sissy Spacek, and Nick Nolte. Pay attention to reactions, this will be one of the biggest acquisition plays of the entire festival.
2 “Eddington”
dir. Ari Aster
Set in the fictional New Mexico town of Eddington in May 2020, Aster’s latest endeavor finds Joaquin Phoenix and Pedro Pascal portraying a sheriff and mayor, respectively, whose disagreements turn their municipality into something of a “powder keg.” Emma Stone plays the sheriff’s wife, while Luke Grimes portrays one of his officers. Austin Butler, Deirdre O’Connell, Michael Ward, and Clifton Collins, Jr. also have significant roles. The A24 release marks Aster’s first collaboration with cinematographer Darius Khondji and, perhaps more notably, his first film to screen at Cannes.
1 “Sentimental Value”
dir. Joachim Trier
The Norwegian filmmaker returns to Cannes after winning the director and screenplay prizes in 2021 for “The Worst Person in the World.” That NEON acquisition earned two Oscar nominations, including Best Original Screenplay. Trier reunites with “Worst Person” star Renate Reinsve, and this is his first project with Stellan Skarsgård, Elle Fanning, and Cory Michael Smith (which seems to insinuate a good portion of it will be in English). The plot is being held somewhat under wraps, but “Worst Person” is arguably one of the top five films of the decade, so Trier and Reinsve together again? A must. Simply, a must.
Other films to keep an eye on: Icelandic filmmaker Hlynur Pálmason‘s follow-up to “Godland,” the contemporary set “The Love That Remains“; and “BPM” director Robin Campillo’s “Enzo.” Michael Angelo Covino returns to Cannes with “Splitsville,” starring Dakota Johnson, Adria Arjona, and Nicholas Braun, after making his feature debut with “The Climb,” which premiered in Un Certain Regard in 2019 (NEON is distributing in the U.S.).
The 2025 Cannes Film Festival will run from May 13 to 24. Look for continuing coverage, including previews, interviews, and reviews on The Playlist.
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