New Cannes Film Festival Jury Is Full of Talent

The 78 Cannes Film Festival is fast approaching, and Cannes’ impressive lineup of jury members features both familiar and new faces.

Every year, the Cannes Film Festival Board of Directors appoints a team of nine artists to make up the jury. According to the Board, jurors are chosen from a diverse range of international artists in various fields of filmmaking. Selection is based on their body of work and the recommendation of their peers in the film industry.

Their goal is to select which films airing at Cannes will receive the various Cannes awards, including the prestigious Palme d’Or.

This year’s jury includes Academy Award-winning actress Halle Berry, filmmaker Payal Kapadia, actor Jeremy Strong, director Hong Sangsoo, actress Alba Rohrwacher, writer Leila Slimani, director/documentarist Dieudo Hamadi, and filmmaker Carlos Reygadas.

Oscar-winning French actress Juliette Binoche will preside over the Cannes jury, succeeding director Greta Gerwig, who held the position in 2024.

What to know about the 78 Cannes

The opening ceremony for the Cannes Film Festival takes place in less than two weeks. French actor Laurent Lafitte will serve as the Master of Ceremonies for the opening and closing ceremonies, which will take place on May 13 and 24.

The Cannes jury will vote on the prestigious Palme d’Or, the highest prize awarded to the best director of a feature film premiering at that year’s festival. Last year, the award went to Sean Baker for Anora. 

There is also the Honorary Palme d’Or, awarded to filmmakers for a lifetime of contributions to the film industry who have yet to receive the competitive award. At this year’s opening ceremony, the Honorary Palme d’Or will be given to none other than Robert De Niro.

Cannes Film Festival’s mission is to encourage, award, and celebrate the cinematic arts in all its fields. Every year, thousands of people gather in Cannes, France, to promote a culture of international collaboration and support the development of independent films.