IRIS Knobloch, President, and Thierry Frémaux, General Delegate, announced the Official Selection of the 78th Cannes Film Festival during a media briefing on April 10, 2025. Leave One Day by Amelie Bonnin was announced as the opening film. It will screen out of competition. The competition films announced include, The Phoenician Scheme, by Wes Anderson, Eddington by Ari Aster, Young Mothers by Jean-Pierre and Luc Dardenne, Alpha by Julia Ducournau, Renoir by Hayakawa Chie and The History of Sound by Oliver Hermanus. Others on the short list are The Latest by Hafsia Herzi, Sirat by Oliver Laxe, New Wave by Richard Linklater, Two Prosecutors by Sergei Loznitsa, Fuori by Mario Martone and File 137 by Dominik Moll. Some of this-year’s anticipated features include, Nouvelle Vague, by Richard Linklater, Kelly Reichardt’s The Mastermind, Iranian director Jafar Panahi’s A Simple Accident and Norwegian filmmaker Joachim Trier’s Sentimental Value. A Nigerian film, My Father’s Shadow by Akinola Davies Jr. was also announced as one of the films in competition but in the Uncertain Regard section.

IT’S official. There is a Nigerian film on the Cannes Film Festival shortlist of films in competition. My Father’s Shadow, directed by Akinola Davies Jr. and co-written with his brother, writer Wale Davies will be the first Nigerian film to feature at the festival’s near-80-year history. The film will screen in the Un Certain Regard section – a competitive section for debut or what is also referred to as first time feature filmmakers. The film, produced by Rachel Dargavel for Element Pictures and Funmbi Ogunbanwo for Fatherland Productions is Davies Jnr debut feature. Starring Sope Dirisu, the film is set in Lagos in the aftermath of the 1993 presidential election and follows Dirisu’s father and two sons, Remi and Akin, as they attempt an odyssey across the city amid the election’s turbulent fallout. Davies Jnr described the selection as an honour to those-past, present and future who laid the foundation for Nigerian cinema. In a statement he shared with major news outlets, Davies Jnr said: “This is a testament to everyone dedicated to telling authentic Nigerian stories: from crews, to the countless technicians who power our film industry.” He added, “I’am excited to be an ambassador for arthouse film in Nigeria, and even more excited for our cast and crew, whose talent and hard work truly deserves this spotlight.” Although it is the only Nigeria film selected for this edition of the festival, it is not the only African film that will feature at the 10 days long film fiesta. Of the films selected for Cannes 2025 as announced by Thierry Frémaux, general delegate of the festival, Africa has four films- three in the uncertain Regard section and one in the main competition. Outside My Father’s Shadow, Aisha Can’t Fly Away by Egyptian filmmaker Morad Mostafa and Promised Sky by French Tunisian Erige Sehiri will feature in the Un Certain Regard section. Swedish Egyptian director Taril Saleh has a film in competition for the Palme d’Or, titled, Eagles of The Republic. The film tells the story of an adored Egyptian actor who falls into disgrace. Nigeria, through the Federal Ministry of Arts, Culture, Tourism and Creative Economy had announced that it will have a strong presence at Cannes 2025. Official of the Ministry disclosed plans to host a pavilion in Cannes and plans to launch Screen Naija, which aims at showcasing the nation’s talent and promote international collaboration and attract foreign investment. The 7th Festival des Cannes runs from May 13 to 24.

VETERAN American actor, Robert De Niro, is to be honoured with a lifetime achievement award at the 2025 Cannes Film Festival. The festival opens on May 13 and would run till May 24. A statement from the Festival de Cannes indicates that the actor will receive the honorary Palme d’Or at the festival’s opening ceremony on May 13. De Niro, who was head of the 2011 Cannes jury, is expected to deliver a masterclass next day. An actor’s actor of vast credit, De Niro began his career in the late 1960s before breaking out in the 1970s with films including Mean Streets and his Oscar-winning performance in The Godfather Part II. Best known for his collaborations with Martin Scorsese, the Raging Bull, and 2023’s Killers Of The Flower Moon star will join the club of recipient such as filmmaker George Lucas who received the Cannes lifetime achievement award last year. In a related news, the legend Spike Lee will be in Cannes with his upcoming feature, Highest 2 Lowest, starring Denzel Washington. However the film will premiere out of competition and will premiere on May 19.