Image Source – Telegraph India

A five-minute standing ovation for Scarlett Johansson… or should I say Director Scarlett Johansson’s first ever movie, Eleanor the Great. Approved! 

Eleanor the Great made its first premiere at the Cannes 2025 Film Festival, and was well received by the audience as the film ended and got a standing ovation for itself and Director Scarlett Johansson. “It is really a dream come true to be here. “When we were working on the film, I was telling my partners, ‘If I do my job right, it will be my dream to have June Squibb walk down the Croisette at Cannes,'” said Johansson to People Magazine. 

Director Scarlett Johansson is uniquely recognized for her polymathic acting roles. Directing has become very important for Scarlett as it is an evolution for her on both fronts: as an actress and as a director.

She has performed in a multitude of roles, and she has been recognized for a number of those, particularly for her portrayal of Black Widow in The Avengers and Black Widow – The Movie; both movies received a lot of attention. We will next see her on screen as an actress for Wes Anderson’s The Phoenician and Jurassic World: Rebirth. 

Eleanor the Great: Exploring human emotions with the 94-year-old prodigy June Squibb 

Director Scarlett Johansson’s Eleanor the Great is the story of a 94-year-old woman who moves from Florida to New York to live with her divorced daughter, after the death of her best friend, Bessie. There, she unexpectedly gets dragged into a meeting for Holocaust survivors where she befriends a young journalist, after she tells the group her best friend’s survival story, as Bessie was a Holocaust survivor.

The film goes on to explore the themes of human grief, loss, and identity, paired well with a desire for connection that blends emotion with humor. 

What catches the public eye is the heart-warming acting of June Squibb, who plays Eleanor Morgenstein in Director Scarlett Johansson’s Eleanor the Great. June Squibb’s performance tears your heart in two as she balances the vulnerability and free-spirited nature of the character. The premiere at Cannes 2025, due to this very factor, was highly appreciated by the multitude of critics in regards to the skill of June Squibb. 

Exploring themes of time, identity, and second chances, the film is very warm-hearted while still being in sync with strong ideas. At an overall review, Eleanor the Great subtly explores the fact that we carry our past into our futures and that memory can both anchor us down and also push us to break our boundaries from the past to lead into the future. 

Scarlett Johansson’s Directorial Debut – The Journey from Camera Fronts to Behind the Scenes

Among the many anticipated premieres at the Cannes 2025, Eleanor the Great had many of us holding our breaths with intrigue and emotion as the film was also the directorial debut of Scarlett Johansson. Known for her outstanding performances as an actress, Director Scarlett Johansson steps behind the camera for the first time to bring out Pandora’s box of ideas. She reflects a line of actors/actresses who have stepped down to explore behind-the-camera roles. 

While Director Scarlett Johansson’s Eleanor the Great has distinctly represented many different themes, her focus on nuanced storytelling and character-driven narratives really showcases her commitment to displaying human connection and emotion. 

Director Scarlett Johansson has surprised the audience with her transformation from actress to director. At first, being associated with glitz and glam as a Hollywood actress, Director Scarlett Johansson is now the silent filmmaker drawn to stillness and nuance.

The film’s visuals are soft and warm, which shows her unhurried approach, which gives her characters space to breathe and perform calmly, portraying that perfect stillness in the lives of people who move in a world too fast for them to catch up to. Director Scarlett Johansson has an understated style of directing–she lets the story happen organically and at its own pace.

The film, away from overly dramatic moments, relies on the understated moments: a conversation on a park bench, sharing a laugh over coffee.

Cannes 2025: A shared limelight for Directorial Debuts 

Let’s talk about other directorial debuts at the Cannes 2025 apart from  Director Scarlett Johansson’s Eleanor the Great.

British actor Harris Dickison makes his debut in Urchin, the story of a homeless guy in London trying to dwindle his former life. This film, too, received heavy praise for its raw storytelling and bold narrative. 

Most of the films this year have a central idea on raw narratives and human emotion. We no longer hide our fears, thoughts, and feelings, and these movies have done an amazingly good job of displaying to the public that we are only human.

Director Scarlett Johansson’s Eleanor the Great is an absolute timeless classic, bringing to light society’s burden on the old and expectations for the young. Do keep your watchlists empty. All of the movies that have debuted at Cannes 2025 have the potential to keep you in your seat all night.