Cannes 2025: Who will win the 2025 Cannes Film Festival’s top prize?

After nearly two weeks of film premieres, glamorous press conferences, and lively beachside parties, the 2025 Cannes Film Festival is preparing to conclude — but not before awarding its most prestigious honor, the Palme d’Or.

A jury of nine, led by acclaimed French actress Juliette Binoche, is tasked with selecting the winner from among 22 competing films. This year’s contenders include high-profile directors such as Wes Anderson, Ari Aster, Richard Linklater, and Joachim Trier.

Alongside the Palme d’Or, the jury will also announce winners for the Grand Prix, jury prize, best director, best actor, and best screenplay. These awards often prove career-defining. “Renate Reinsve, who stars in Trier’s entry ‘Sentimental Value,’ said that winning best actress in 2021 for ‘The Worst Person in the World’ completely changed her life.”

With last year’s winner “Anora” later sweeping the Oscars with five wins — including Best Picture — the jury’s picks are expected to be closely analyzed. “The Substance,” which took best screenplay at Cannes 2024, also earned an Academy Award.

One major indicator of potential winners has been the selections of independent distributor Neon, which has correctly identified the Palme d’Or winner for five consecutive years. This year, Neon acquired three titles: “Sentimental Value,” which earned a 15-minute-plus standing ovation, “It Was Just an Accident” by Iranian filmmaker Jafar Panahi, and Brazil’s “The Secret Agent” by Kleber Mendonça Filho.

Additional favorites include “Two Prosecutors,” a legal drama set in Stalinist Russia, and “Sound of Falling” by German director Mascha Schilinski, both scoring high on ScreenDaily’s respected jury grid.

Veteran Cannes winners Julia Ducournau and the Dardenne brothers are also in the race. “Ducournau became only the second woman to win in 2021 for ‘Titane,’ while Jean-Pierre and Luc Dardenne have the rare honour of having won twice with ‘Rosetta’ and ‘L’Enfant’ in 1999 and 2005, respectively.”

The 78th Cannes Film Festival opened on May 13 with the French comedy “Leave One Day,” and cinephiles worldwide now await its final and most impactful announcements.