Not every Cannes entry will hit your nearest theater, but some stories are simply too powerful to stay confined to the Croisette. These ten films—whether winners, critical darlings, or word-of-mouth sensations—sparked standing ovations, impassioned debates, and global headlines at the 2025 Cannes Film Festival.
From bold political thrillers to poetic short films, this isn’t just a best-of list. It’s a front-row seat to the future of cinema.
1. It Was Just an Accident
Dir. Jafar Panahi | 🇮🇷 Iran, France, Luxembourg
A masterclass in restraint and rebellion, Panahi’s Palme d’Or-winning drama traces the fallout of a single act of violence through generations. Intimate, devastating, and steeped in political undertones, it cemented the Iranian auteur’s return to form—and reminded Cannes why his voice still matters.
2. Sentimental Value
Dir. Joachim Trier | 🇳🇴 Norway, France, Germany
Trier’s Grand Prix-winning feature dissects the memories we hoard and the truths we ignore. With signature warmth and aching precision, he crafts a layered story about family, time, and all the emotional clutter that love leaves behind.
3. The Secret Agent
Dir. Kleber Mendonça Filho | 🇧🇷 Brazil, France, Germany
Part espionage thriller, part identity crisis, Filho’s Best Director-winning entry is urgent and deeply personal. Add in Wagner Moura’s riveting performance (which earned him Best Actor), and you’ve got one of Cannes 2025’s most gripping crowd-pleasers.
4. The Little Sister
Dir. Hafsia Herzi | 🇫🇷 France, Germany
Winner of the Queer Palm and Best Actress (Nadia Melliti), this is a quiet revolution wrapped in tender storytelling. Herzi’s portrayal of a trans woman navigating the ghosts of her hometown is delicate, dignified, and deeply affecting.
5. Young Mothers
Dir. Jean-Pierre & Luc Dardenne | 🇧🇪 Belgium, France
The Dardennes return with a screenplay that slices right to the bone. Their story of adolescent mothers battling a broken system blends vérité-style realism with unflinching emotional honesty, earning them Best Screenplay and another notch in their Cannes legacy.
6. Resurrection
Dir. Bi Gan | 🇨🇳 China, France
This Prix Spécial winner is equal parts dreamscape and dirge. Visually spellbinding and narratively elusive, Bi Gan’s latest feels like a lucid dream where grief, memory, and starlight converge. Think In the Mood for Love by way of Tree of Life.
7. The Mysterious Gaze of the Flamingo
Dir. Diego Céspedes | 🇨🇱 Chile, France
This Un Certain Regard winner offers a surreal, myth-soaked exploration of queerness, repression, and self-discovery in a rural Chilean village. Céspedes’s debut doesn’t just hint at brilliance—it fully arrives with it.
8. The President’s Cake
Dir. Hasan Hadi | 🇮🇶 Iraq, Qatar, USA
Both the Caméra d’Or and Directors’ Fortnight Audience Award winner, Hadi’s bittersweet political fable follows a pastry chef at the center of a revolution. It’s the rare satire that’s warm, sharp, and surprisingly hopeful.
9. I’m Glad You’re Dead Now
Dir. Tawfeek Barhom | 🇵🇸 Palestine, France
Short Film Palme d’Or winner and emotional gut-punch, this poetic short reckons with grief in the aftermath of conflict. Unfolding over less than 20 minutes, its weight lingers long after the final frame.
10. Urchin
Dir. Harris Dickinson | 🇬🇧 UK
This gritty British drama—part seascape, part subculture snapshot—earned Frank Dillane a Best Actor win in the Un Certain Regard section. Moody and magnetic, it’s a coming-of-age tale with dirt under its fingernails and heart on its sleeve.
Cannes Today, Awards Season Tomorrow
Whether you were watching from the red steps of the Palais or following every headline from home, Cannes 2025 delivered stories that matter. These ten films don’t just reflect festival prestige—they embody the urgency, boldness, and artistry pushing global cinema forward.
If you want to know what people will be streaming, debating, and nominating a few months from now, start here. These films are the future of the cinema conversation.
What else happened at Cannes 2025? Follow our detailed highlights to know EVERYTHING about the Cannes 2025 festival!