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The red carpet has been rolled up, the last flute of champagne has been drained, and the 2025 Cannes Film Festival has wrapped. But the buzz around this year’s Palme d’Or contenders is still going strong — and for a good reason.

This year’s competition lineup was a wild, emotional, and deeply weird ride, and honestly, that’s exactly what we love about Cannes. Here are five films that made a serious impression and might just shape the conversation around cinema for the rest of the year.

Die, My Love – Jennifer Lawrence like you’ve never seen her

Let’s start with one of the most talked-about premieres of the festival: Die, My Love, directed by Lynne Ramsay. If you’re familiar with Ramsay’s work; movies like ‘We Need to Talk About Kevin’ and ‘You Were Never Really Here’ show that she doesn’t do anything halfway. This one’s no exception.

Jennifer Lawrence plays Grace, a woman unraveling under the weight of postpartum depression in a remote Montana town. She’s raw, unfiltered, and completely gripping.

Our favorite ex-vampire Robert Pattinson plays her husband who’s trying, and mostly failing to keep their family from falling apart. It’s intense and, at times, uncomfortably real. But it’s also strangely beautiful. Ramsay doesn’t shy away from the chaos in Grace’s mind, and Lawrence fully commits.

You could hear people holding their breath in the theater. If there was ever a performance built for awards season, this is it.

The Phoenician Scheme – Wes Anderson goes full espionage (kind of)

Wes Anderson is back, and this time he’s dabbling in spy games. The Phoenician Scheme is exactly what the title sounds like: an elaborate, slightly ridiculous espionage plot, told with Anderson’s trademark pastel visuals and symmetrical charm.

Benicio del Toro, Scarlett Johansson, and Benedict Cumberbatch headline an ensemble that somehow makes the most convoluted scheme feel oddly cozy. There are underground tunnels, coded messages, and a lot of awkwardly polite interrogations.

But underneath the quirky surface, Anderson is poking at some deeper ideas — about surveillance, paranoia, and how easy it is to lose yourself in a world of secrets.
Fans of his previous films will find plenty to love here. It’s funny, weird, and maybe even a little emotionally resonant if you let it be.

Sentimental Value – A quiet one that hits you right in the feelings

If you’re in the mood for something softer, Sentimental Value might be your pick. Joachim Trier has built a reputation for making beautifully human films (The Worst Person in the World still has us in our feelings), and this new one is no different.

The story is simple: an aging filmmaker tries to reconnect with his two daughters after years of distance. They come together after their mother’s death, and what follows is an emotional slow burn — gentle conversations, long silences, awkward attempts at bonding.

It’s not flashy, but it’s the kind of film that sneaks up on you. By the end, you might be crying without even realizing it. It won the Grand Prix at Cannes, and honestly, it deserved it.

The Secret Agent – Brazil brings the heat

Kleber Mendonça Filho’s The Secret Agent was one of the most gripping entries in this year’s competition. Set in 1970s Brazil, it follows a former revolutionary who’s trying to lay low while the government’s past sins catch up to him.

Wagner Moura (yes, from Narcos) is phenomenal in the lead role. His performance is tense, layered, and incredibly watchable. The film is full of suspense, but it’s also deeply rooted in Brazil’s political history, which gives it real weight. Filho won Best Director, and Moura took home Best Actor — both well-earned.

Alpha – Julia Ducournau is not here to play it safe

If you’ve seen Titane, then you already know Julia Ducournau doesn’t really do “normal.” With Alpha, she delivers another bold, body-centric story — this time focused on a 13-year-old girl trying to survive in a society that wants to label and control her.

The film is provocative, sometimes shocking, but also full of heart. Ducournau doesn’t just want to make you uncomfortable — she wants you to think. And the young lead? Absolutely magnetic. This one sparked a lot of debate, but love it or not, no one walked out indifferent.

So, who’s taking the Palme?

The competition was tight this year. Die, My Love had the emotional fireworks, The Phoenician Scheme brought the style, and Sentimental Value quietly won everyone over. Whether you’re into raw drama, sharp satire, or powerful storytelling, Cannes 2025 gave us plenty to talk about — and plenty to look forward to when these films (hopefully) hit theaters soon.