Les films de Cannes 2025
After ten days in which Bucharest became the capital of auteur cinema, premiering the most awarded films from the Croisette, the Les Films de Cannes festival arrived in Cluj Napoca, Arad, and Iași
Corina Sabău, 15.11.2025, 12:05
After ten days in which Bucharest became the capital of auteur cinema, premiering the most awarded films from the Croisette, as well as other internationally acclaimed titles, the Les Films de Cannes festival arrived in Cluj Napoca, Arad, and Iași. One of France’s most famous actresses, Emmanuelle Béart, was the guest of honor at this edition of Les Films de Cannes à Bucarest, an event initiated 16 years ago by filmmaker Cristian Mungiu, with the support of the general delegate of the Cannes Film Festival, Thierry Frémaux. In addition to the award-winning titles at Cannes, this year’s festival also featured films that were selected for the Venice Film Festival and opened up to new genres, such as animation and documentary.
Film critic Ionuț Mareș, curator of the Les Films de Cannes à Bucarest festival:
“Yes, we included an animated film in the program, Amélie et la Métaphysique des tubes, which was presented at the Cannes Film Festival and will be distributed by Independența Film. This isn’t the first year we’ve had films that have been seen at other festivals, but this year the audience enjoyed four films made by filmmakers who were selected for the Venice Film Festival. However, with the exception of Gianfranco Rosi, Jim Jarmusch, Yorgos Lanthimos, and Park Chan-wook, because we are talking about their films, they are artists primarily associated with the Cannes Film Festival. So this aspect also mattered, of course, in addition to the fact that their films are highly anticipated and it was only natural for us to do everything we could to bring them to the audience as soon as possible. As is already known, the festival program consists largely of titles that won awards at Cannes this year, but we also have a section of Romanian previews, selected by my colleague, curator Andrei Tănăsescu. Thus, the latest Romanian films, both fiction and documentaries, were premiered in Bucharest, and discussions and Q&A sessions were held. In addition, we are also organizing some retrospectives dedicated to the invited filmmakers.”
The Cannes Film Festival has not only succeeded in creating an audience interested in films d’auteur, but has also convinced distributors to invest more and more in such films. Ionuț Mareș told us about some of the films included in the festival program that have been or will be released in cinemas:
“There were also films that were released before the Cannes Film Festival. This is the case with the films directed by Nadav Lapid, Yes, presented at the Quinzaine des cinéastes in Cannes, and by brothers Jean-Pierre and Luc Dardenne, Jeunes Mères (Young Mothers), which won the Best Screenplay Award at the 2025 Cannes Film Festival, which we did not include in the festival. But most of the films will be released in theatres, and I want to mention that we have worked and continue to work very well with distributors. One of the films that audiences will be able to see in theatres thanks to the distributor Bad Unicorn is Sentimental Value, winner of the Grand Prix at Cannes, directed by Joachim Trier, a film that was sold out at both screenings. Also thanks to Bad Unicorn, the winner of the Golden Lion for Best Film, Father Mother Sister Brother, directed by Jim Jarmusch, will also be shown on screens. Bugonia, a film that was highly acclaimed at the Venice Film Festival, the latest collaboration between Yorgos Lanthimos and Emma Stone, is another film that has recently been released in cinemas. Another film that can be seen in cinemas is No Other Choice, by Korean director Park Chan-wook, distributed by Bad Unicorn. Transilvania Film’s offer includes two interesting titles, one of which is this year’s Palme d’Or winner, It Was Just an Accident, directed by Iranian Jafar Panahi. Thanks to the same distributor, we will also be able to see Sirât, directed by Oliver Laxe, on the big screen. Independența Film, a traditional distributor, is also bringing over 10 films from the Cannes Film Festival selection to Romania.
Memorable encounters with filmmakers, actors, and industry professionals complemented the effervescent atmosphere of this year’s festival. Still Nia, directed by Paula Oneț, was the winner based on the votes of the audience who participated in the Autumn Previews, part of les Films de Cannes à Bucarest, the only competitive section of the festival. The film brings to the fore Ștefania, who, after 15 years of amnesia caused by a medical error in childhood, tries to rediscover her identity and reconnect with her estranged body. At One World Romania, Still Nia was presented in the work-in-progress section and was also selected for the Sarajevo Film Festival in 2024. Five other films by Romanian directors were screened and voted on at the Autumn Previews, before their official release in cinemas across the country. The gala in Bucharest ended with a screening of Father Mother Sister Brother, directed by Jim Jarmusch, winner of the Golden Lion at Venice. (MI)
