Over the course of 10 days at Cannes 2025, I watched around 35 films, and several truly stood out. This year’s competition lineup has been one of the most enjoyable and well-crafted I’ve seen in my 15 years attending the festival. Of course, it’s impossible to catch every film—a human limitation—but the joy of immersing fully in the cinematic experience, free from distractions, is always rewarding. Some of the films and performances here are likely to influence Oscar discussions down the line. While some may take time to reach audiences in the U.S., seeking them out will broaden your perspective, as it did mine.
Richard Linklater’s Nouvelle Vague offers a witty and elegant look behind the scenes of Jean-Luc Godard’s 1959 debut Breathless. This film may appeal mainly to cinephiles and older audiences but stands as a passionate celebration of art, history, and the dedication required to create something meaningful.
Oliver Hermanus’ The History of Sound is a quietly lush romantic melodrama about two music scholars—played by Paul Mescal and Josh O’Connor—who fall in love in early 20th-century New England while collecting folk songs. Though some critics found it restrained, I appreciated its gentle beauty and polished texture reminiscent of classic Oscar contenders.
Die, My Love, directed by Lynne Ramsay and starring Jennifer Lawrence, offers a powerful, unflinching portrayal of a woman battling postpartum depression. Lawrence’s deeply textured and fearless performance captures raw human suffering with both anger and vulnerability, making this film a standout.
Turkish-German director Fatih Akin’s Amrum, shown out of competition, explores how childhood memories shape identity. Set on a German island during the last days of World War II, it tells the story of a boy grappling with his Nazi upbringing and the painful realization of his misplaced loyalty, mixing bitter humor with poignant moments.
Romería, by Catalan filmmaker Carla Simón, follows Marina, an 18-year-old who lost her parents to AIDS and addiction, as she journeys from Barcelona to Vigo seeking to understand her past. The film’s earthy, magical realist tone and evocative Galician setting create an intelligent, quietly moving narrative.
Ukrainian director Sergei Loznitsa’s Two Prosecutors is a bleak yet darkly humorous tale set in Stalinist Russia. It depicts a local prosecutor’s futile attempts to correct an injustice, embodying a bitterly funny cry against bureaucracy and oppression.
Kelly Reichardt’s The Mastermind features Josh O’Connor as a hapless 1970s Massachusetts art thief. The film blends gentle humor and heartbreak in a portrait of a man drifting through life, motivated mostly by his family.
The Dardenne Brothers’ Young Mothers follows four teenage mothers learning to care for their babies in a state-run home. With a quasi-documentary style, it offers a hopeful yet emotionally affecting look at struggle, addiction, and resilience.
The Un Certain Regard section spotlighted two promising directorial debuts from young actors: Kristen Stewart’s Chronology of Water, an uncompromising adaptation of a memoir on trauma and addiction, and Harris Dickinson’s Urchin, about a drug-addicted Londoner trying to rebuild his life. Both films bring fresh perspectives and bold choices.
Raoul Peck’s documentary Orwell: 2+2=5 reframes George Orwell’s legacy, making his ideas feel strikingly relevant 75 years after his death. Peck’s approach encourages viewers to see patterns and connections in today’s world through Orwell’s lens.
Finally, Danish-Norwegian director Joachim Trier’s Sentimental Value reunites him with Renate Reinsve in a story about two sisters confronting their estranged filmmaker father’s selfishness. It carries a more somber tone than Trier’s previous work but remains tender and radiant, echoing his remark that “tenderness is the new punk.”
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