Inside the Cannes 2025 Jury: A Star-Powered, Globally-Minded Ensemble Poised to Define the Future of Film

As the sun prepares to rise over the Croisette this May, the Cannes Film Festival returns with a jury as dazzling and diverse as its red carpet. For its 78th edition, Cannes has assembled a formidable group of global cinematic voices—blending Academy Award winners, indie powerhouses, literary giants, and filmmaking icons from every corner of the world.

At the helm of this year’s panel is French screen legend Juliette Binoche, stepping into the role of Jury President after Greta Gerwig’s 2024 turn. With a career spanning arthouse classics and Hollywood dramas, Binoche brings grace, grit, and unmistakable gravitas to the role. This year’s jury is not just a roster of recognizable names—it’s a cultural collage designed to speak across borders and cinematic traditions.

The Jury: A Tapestry of Talent

Among the most talked-about names is Halle Berry, an actress whose career has redefined boundaries in Hollywood. From her Oscar-winning role in Monster’s Ball to her recent work as director and producer, Berry embodies the kind of multidimensional artist Cannes increasingly celebrates.

Joining her is Jeremy Strong, the Succession star and recent Cannes competitor with The Apprentice, where he transformed into the infamous Roy Cohn. Strong’s meticulous intensity and taste for provocative material make him a fascinating presence on a jury expected to navigate both spectacle and subtlety.

Also returning to the Croisette is Payal Kapadia, the Indian filmmaker who broke through last year with All We Imagine as Light—a quiet, luminous tale that captured the Jury Grand Prize. Kapadia represents a new generation of global storytellers, blending documentary instincts with lyrical fiction.

Cannes regulars round out the panel with prestige and pedigree: Hong Sangsoo, the South Korean auteur who’s brought over half a dozen features to the festival; Alba Rohrwacher, the Italian actress who has lit up screens in both her sister Alice’s films and those of Matteo Garrone and Nanni Moretti; and Carlos Reygadas, Mexico’s boundary-pushing filmmaker known for spiritual, visually daring cinema.

Also lending their voices to this cinematic choir are Dieudo Hamadi, a Congolese documentarian who has long chronicled stories of resilience and resistance, and Leïla Slimani, the Prix Goncourt-winning novelist whose thrillers have bridged literature and film.

Together, this jury is anything but ornamental. It’s a reflection of where cinema is headed: pluralistic, cross-disciplinary, and unafraid to blend politics with poetry.

Hollywood in Full Force

While the jury captures global breadth, Hollywood’s influence will be strongly felt in this year’s lineup. Major titles from marquee auteurs are set to premiere, including Lynne Ramsay’s Die, My Love starring Jennifer Lawrence and Robert Pattinson, Kristen Stewart’s directorial debut The Chronology of Water, and Ari Aster’s star-studded epic Eddington, which brings together Joaquin Phoenix, Emma Stone, Pedro Pascal, and Austin Butler.

Meanwhile, Wes Anderson returns with The Phoenician Scheme, boasting an all-star cast including Tom Hanks, Riz Ahmed, Benedict Cumberbatch, and Scarlett Johansson—who will also present her own directorial debut, Eleanor the Great, in the Un Certain Regard section.

From daring thrillers to sweeping romances and high-concept heists, this year’s festival offers a buffet of bold cinema—and a jury capable of evaluating it with insight and imagination.

All Eyes on May 24

As the festival unfolds between May 13 and 24, anticipation will build toward closing night, when the Binoche-led jury reveals the next Palme d’Or winner. Will the prize go to an emerging voice, a returning master, or a film that bridges tradition and innovation?

One thing is clear: with this jury in charge, the decision will be anything but conventional—and all the more exciting for it.