The Cannes Film Festival 2025 is set to host several significant debuts and premieres. Among them is Nitanshi Goel, the 'Laapataa Ladies' actress, who will make her first appearance at the festival. This year has been eventful for Goel, as she also represented her film at the Oscar Awards. At Cannes, she will walk the red carpet as a L'Oréal Paris partner, joining Bollywood figures like Aishwarya Rai and Alia Bhatt.

Goel, at 17, will be the youngest actor to debut at Cannes. She announced her participation on Instagram, expressing her gratitude and excitement. Her post highlighted that walking the red carpet is "more than a debut; it’s a piece of my heart, a lot of dreams, and a little bit of India with me."

Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, a Cannes regular, will mark her 23rd year at the festival as L’Oréal's ambassador. Alia Bhatt will also make her debut as a L'Oréal Paris global brand ambassador. Janhvi Kapoor and Ishaan Khatter are set to debut with their film, Homebound, premiering in the Un Certain Regard category. Director Neeraj Ghaywan and producer Karan Johar are also expected to attend. Veteran icons Sharmila Tagore and Simi Garewal will be present at the world premiere of the restored version of Satyajit Ray's 1970 film, Aranyer Din Ratri.

Adding to the international flavor, Iraqi director Hasan Hadi’s debut feature, “The President’s Cake,” will screen in Directors’ Fortnight, marking the first Iraqi film at Cannes. Set in Iraq during the 1990s under U.S. sanctions, the film depicts a 9-year-old girl, Lamia, tasked with baking Saddam Hussein’s birthday cake. Hadi emphasized the importance of shooting in Iraq to authentically portray the story and visuals of the time.

The German film “Sound of Falling,” directed by Mascha Schilinski, also debuted at the festival to outstanding reviews. The film, which explores the mirroring lives of four girls on a Northern German farm across a century, received a four-minute standing ovation. Schilinski co-wrote the screenplay with Louise Peter and emphasized the film's theme of memory and perception. Variety called it “an instant sensation,” and Deadline praised its “ethereal, unnerving brilliance,” positioning it as a strong Palme d’Or contender.