The star-studded 78th Cannes Film Festival wrapped up this past Saturday and between the red carpet looks, directorial debuts or triumphant returns, and deciphering the lengths of standing ovations, Access Hollywood is recapping the most viral moments, most anticipated premieres, and everything else you might have missed at this year’s most glamorous celebration of international film.
Actors Turned Directors
One theme of this year’s festival was well-known actors premiering their directorial debuts. Scarlet Johansson premiered her first film, “Eleanor the Great,” which was well received with a five-minute standing ovation. Dressed in a sleeveless lavender gown, Johansson shared a romantic moment with her husband Colin Jost, both of whom came straight to the French Riviera from Saturday Night Live’s Season 50 finale.
Johansson was not the only actor-turned-director at the festival. In a full circle moment, 2022 Palme D’Or Winner “Triangle of Sadness” star Harris Dickinson debuted his film “Urchin,” which quickly became the talk of the town. Kristen Stewart also premiered her “bold” directorial debut “The Chronology of Water,” adapted from Lidia Yuknavitch’s memoir of the same name.
Halle Berry Broke New Cannes Dress Code (And Looked Amazing Doing It)
This year, the Cannes Film Festival added two new rules to their staunchly black-tie dress code, namely a ban on nudity, citing “decency,” and a ban on oversize garments, including large trains. Halle Berry, who was on the jury for this year’s festival, arrived to the Chopard Universe Gala Evening in a stunning dark red dress with a sculptural floor-length skirt and train. She revealed that she had been planning on wearing this dress for the festival’s kickoff and was forced to change. Lucky for us, she flouted the rules by wearing it to an unofficial Cannes event.
Two Star-Studded Films
Lynne Ramsey’s “Die, My Love” premiered warmly to a nine-minute standing ovation. The highly-anticipated film, which stars Jennifer Lawrence, Robert Pattinson, and LaKeith Stanfield, sold to MUBI for $24 million, double what they paid for their last awards contender, “The Substance.“ And a Best Actress Oscar campaign may already be underway for Lawrence, whose performance earned rave reviews.
Another star-studded premiere was A24 and Ari Aster’s “Eddington,” the follow-up to his disturbing epic “Beau is Afraid.” The highly anticipated film stars Joaquin Phoenix, Pedro Pascal, Emma Stone and Austin Butler, though despite the buzz surrounding it, the film ended up being one of the most controversial debuts of the festival. While garnering a five-minute standing ovation, audience members were spotted leaving during the screening and the film has since sparked debate over its Covid-19 pandemic commentary. Despite the film’s serious subject matter, however, the cast earned laughs after dodging a bee that buzzed near Emma’s face on the red carpet!
Denzel Washington Speaks Out After Heated Exchange
Denzel Washington tried to keep it classy while confronting an aggressive photographer during the premiere of Spike Lee’s “Highest 2 Lowest,” telling the photog to “stop it” after they grabbed his arm on the red carpet. Fortunately, the incident didn’t seem to ruin his night as the Oscar winner’s rep said in a statement that it was “a great evening” overall. Washington walked the carpet alongside Lee (who sported his Knicks pride in a blue and orange striped suit) and his co-stars – including A$AP Rocky. The film garnered a six-minute standing ovation and resulted in Washington receiving a surprise Honorary Palme d’Or.
A-List Honorees
Joining Denzel Washington, Robert De Niro made headlines as he received an Honorary Palme d’Or with an impassioned speech that tore into President Donald Trump and called out “fascism.” Vanity Fair reported on his call to action: “We have to act, and we have to act now—without violence, but with great passion and determination.”
Nicole Kidman was also recognized for her achievements, receiving the 2025 Women in Motion Award. Speaking of broken dress codes, in her first Cannes appearance in eight years, she rocked jeans on the red carpet for the event. Kidman also repledged her dedication to working with women in film, having worked with female filmmakers 27 times since first pledging eight years earlier. She also championed giving better roles to older actresses, stating, “if you just give us the chance, we are so ready.”
Richard Linklater’s ‘Nouvelle Vague‘ Sells to Netflix
Richard Linklater, director of beloved films such as “Before Sunrise,” “Dazed and Confused,” and “Boyhood,” premiered his homage to the French New Wave at the festival to a charmed audience. The French-language film, which is a tribute to Jean Luc Goddard’s “Breathless,” has been acquired by Netflix for $4 million as they come out of a busy awards season (how can we forget “Emilia Pérez”?).
Barbra Streisand’s Love Letter to Helen Mirren
Legendary actress Barbra Streisand posted her love for Helen Mirren on Instagram, captioning a photo of Mirren with a love letter: “Dear Helen, you look gorgeous. What an outfit. And the hat that you can see your eyes through! With Love, Barbra.” And Mirren certainly did impress. The actress wore a long black gown with Tiffany blue details to the premiere of “Colours of Time.”
Alexander Skarsgård’s Viral Kiss
During the seven-minute standing ovation for “Pillion,” the fiery BDSM-inspired film that pairs Harry Melling and Alexander Skarsgård, Skarsgård reacted to the electricity of the crowd by planting a kiss on one Pedro Pascal’s cheek! The sweet moment has since gone viral and has fans applauding their “nontoxic masculinity.”
Plus, Skarsgård appeared to give the movie’s inspo a fashion nod by rocking thigh high boots on the red carpet for “The Phoenician Scheme.”
Neon’s Winning Streak Holds Strong
The independent distribution company, Neon, has continued their winning streak. Hot after their “Anora” Oscars sweep, they won their sixth consecutive Palme D’Or for Jafar Panahi’s “It Was Just an Accident.” The company had previously won the highest honor at the festival with “Parasite,” “Titane,” “Triangle of Sadness,” “Anatomy of a Fall” and “Anora,” in that order.
Neon’s other films in the festival included “Titane” director Julia Ducournau’s “Alpha,” as well as “Splitsville,” starring Dakota Johnson and Adria Arjona, and Joaquim Trier’s “Sentimental Value,” which stars Alexander’s father, Stellan Skarsgård, Elle Fanning, and “Worst Person in the World” star Renate Reinsve. “Sentimental Value” was a festival favorite, garnering a 15-minute ovation, and won the Grand Prix (an upset to some, despite being the second-best prize at the festival). If that’s not enough, Best Director went to another Neon acquisition, Brazilian film “The Secret Agent,” directed by Kleber Mendonça Filho. Plus, Oliver Laxe’s “Sirat” won the Jury Prize in a tie with MUBI’s “Sound of Falling.” With Cannes typically serving as a pipeline into awards season, we can be certain that we will see much more of some of these titles in the coming months.
ICYMI: Best Red Carpet Looks
