Cannes 2025: Opening Ceremony, Premiere of ‘Leave One Day,’ and Palme d’Or Tribute to Robert De Niro

Just Cinema Ph © Michele Illuzzi  | Cannes 2025 Jury members: Jeremy Strong, Alba Rohrwacher, Dieudo Hamadi Middle L-R: Leila Slimani, Juliette Binoche, Halle Berry Bottom L-R: Carlos Reygadas. Payal Kapadia, Hong Sangsoo

The 78th edition of the Cannes Film Festival opened with its official ceremony, alongside the world premiere of Amélie Bonnin’s first feature film, Partir Un Jour (Leave One Day), starring Juliette Armanet, Bastien Bouillon, and François Rollin.

The event welcomed the film’s cast as well as prominent guests such as Quentin Tarantino, Rossy De Palma, Julia Garner, Nava Mau, Zahra Amir Ebrahimi, and Leonardo DiCaprio, who presented the honorary Palme d’Or to Robert De Niro.

Leave One Day tells the story of Cécile, an aspiring restaurateur determined to launch a fine dining destination in Paris. Her plans are unexpectedly disrupted by a family emergency that brings her back to her countryside hometown, where memories of her past lead her to reconnect with a former love.

In the days ahead, the jury will review the 21 films competing in the official selection, ultimately awarding the Palme d’Or, Grand Prix, Jury Prize, Best Director, Best Actress, and Best Actor. The winners will be announced during the closing ceremony on May 24, followed by a screening of Momoko Sato’s Dandelion’s Odyssey.

On Wednesday, May 14, Tom Cruise, alongside director and screenwriter Christopher McQuarrie and the film’s cast, will ascend the steps of the Palais des Festivals for the world premiere of Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning, which will be screened Out of Competition at the Grand Théâtre Lumière.

Among the festival’s most anticipated premieres are The Phoenician Scheme by Wes Anderson, featuring an ensemble cast including Tom Hanks, Benicio del Toro, and Mia Threapleton; Eddington by Ari Aster, starring Joaquin Phoenix, Pedro Pascal, and Emma Stone; New Wave by Richard Linklater; Scarlett Johansson’s directorial debut Eleanor The Great, with June Squibb and Chiwetel Ejiofor; Die My Love starring Jennifer Lawrence and Robert Pattinson; Sentimental Value by Joachim Trier, featuring Renate Reinsve; Spike Lee’s Highest 2 Lowest, with Denzel Washington, Jeffrey Wright, and A$AP Rocky; Alpha by Julia Ducournau; Romeria by Carla Simón; and The Eagles of the Republic by Tarik Saleh.

Stefania Veneri