The Jury of the 78th Festival de Cannes Announced

The 78th Festival de Cannes has officially announced the members of its prestigious Jury, presided over by celebrated French actress Juliette Binoche. Alongside her, eight remarkable figures from the worlds of film, literature, and production will take part in selecting the winners among the 21 films in Competition.

The Jury will have the honor of awarding the Palme d’Or and other top prizes at the Closing Ceremony on Saturday, May 24, 2025, broadcast live by France Télévisions and Brut. internationally.

Juliette Binoche – President

One of the greatest French actresses, Juliette Binoche has spent over four decades shaping an international career of remarkable versatility. From her breakthrough in André Téchiné’s Rendez-vous (1985) to her Palme d’Or-winning performance in Abbas Kiarostami’s Certified Copy (2010), she has consistently embraced emotionally rich and diverse roles.

A multiple award-winner, including the Oscar, BAFTA, César, and top honors at Berlin and Venice, Binoche moves seamlessly between cinema, TV (e.g., The Staircase), theater (with Ivo van Hove), dance (with Akram Khan), music (with Alexandre Tharaud), and painting.

Halle Berry

An Academy Award-winning actress, filmmaker, and producer, Halle Berry made history as the first African-American woman to win Best Actress for Monster’s Ball (2002). Her career spans blockbusters (X-Men, Die Another Day, John Wick: Parabellum) and acclaimed dramas (Jungle Fever, Cloud Atlas).

Berry made her directorial debut with Bruised (2020) and continues producing, including Alexandre Aja’s Never Let Go (2024).

Payal Kapadia

A new voice in world cinema, Payal Kapadia captured global attention by winning the Grand Prix at Cannes 2024 for All We Imagine as Light. Trained at the Film and Television Institute of India, she previously directed acclaimed shorts and the documentary A Night of Knowing Nothing.

Kapadia has brought Indian cinema back into the Cannes Competition after a 30-year absence and continues winning accolades worldwide, including nominations at the Golden Globes and Asian Film Awards.

Alba Rohrwacher

One of Italy’s finest contemporary actresses, Alba Rohrwacher, has starred in major films by Luca Guadagnino, Saverio Costanzo, Marco Bellocchio, and Laura Bispuri.

A Cannes regular, she is deeply tied to the festival through her collaborations with her sister Alice Rohrwacher (The Wonders, Happy as Lazzaro, La Chimera). Winner of the Coppa Volpi, David di Donatello, and Nastro d’Argento, she is a revered force in European cinema.

Leïla Slimani

A major literary figure, Leïla Slimani is the Franco-Moroccan author of Lullaby, winner of the Prix Goncourt 2016. Her works explore themes of identity, freedom, and social justice.

Slimani is also a passionate advocate for women’s rights, recognized with the Prix Simone de Beauvoir in 2020. In 2024, she co-wrote the Opening Ceremony of the Paris Olympics alongside Thomas Jolly.

Dieudo Hamadi

Acclaimed Congolese documentarian Dieudo Hamadi broke barriers by premiering Downstream to Kinshasa at Cannes 2020. His documentaries (Atalaku, National Diploma, Mama Colonel) are powerful examinations of Congolese society and institutions.

Founder of Kiripifilms, Hamadi is currently working on a new series Milimo and the feature film La Vie est un chemin de fer.

Hong Sangsoo

A fixture of Cannes and world cinema, Hong Sangsoo has built a distinguished career marked by his minimalist, intimate storytelling. His films have appeared both in Competition (Woman Is the Future of Man, The Day After) and Un Certain Regard (Hahaha — Un Certain Regard Prize).

He continues to create prolifically, with new works including In Front of Your Face (2021) and the upcoming At the Middle of Life.

Carlos Reygadas

Mexican auteur Carlos Reygadas has made his mark with powerful films such as Japón (Caméra d’Or Special Mention), Silent Light (Jury Prize, Cannes 2007), and Post Tenebras Lux (Best Director, Cannes 2012).

Reygadas is known for pushing the boundaries of cinematic language. He also produces emerging filmmakers’ projects and published Presencia, a book on cinema, in 2023.

Jeremy Strong

An Oscar and Emmy nominated, Golden Globe and Tony Award-winning actor Jeremy Strong is internationally acclaimed for his portrayal of Kendall Roy in HBO’s Succession.

His recent film The Apprentice (2024), selected in Competition at Cannes, earned him nominations across major awards. Upcoming, he stars in Scott Cooper’s Deliver Me From Nowhere, based on Bruce Springsteen’s Nebraska album.