The Cannes Film Festival 2025 has brought together some of the most captivating and diverse films from around the world, offering audiences a rich cinematic experience. From politically charged dramas to intimate personal stories, the festival showcases a spectrum of storytelling styles. Here are eight must-watch films that stood out this year:

1. It Was Just an Accident
Directed by Iranian filmmaker Jafar Panahi, this satirical drama won the prestigious Palme d’Or. The film delves into the lives of former political prisoners who kidnap a man they believe tortured them, offering a haunting critique of authoritarian regimes.

2. Sentimental Value
Joachim Trier’s family drama, awarded the Grand Prix, explores deep emotional ties and complex relationships within a family, capturing the nuances of human connection.

3. Sirât
Oliver Laxe’s Spanish film, which won the Jury Prize, takes viewers on a surreal journey through a pre-apocalyptic wilderness with an evocative rave set in the Moroccan desert.

4. Sound of Falling
This German epic by Mascha Schilinski unravels the emotional lives of four generations of women, showcasing suppressed histories and generational trauma.

5. Homebound
Directed by Neeraj Ghaywan, this Hindi-language drama received a nine-minute standing ovation. Starring Ishaan Khatter and Janhvi Kapoor, it tells the story of two childhood friends chasing dreams of a dignified police job in a small North Indian village.

6. The Chronology of Water
Kristen Stewart’s directorial debut explores personal trauma and healing, inspired by Lidia Yuknavitch’s memoir about overcoming abuse.

7. Eddington
Ari Aster’s contemporary Western stars Joaquin Phoenix and Pedro Pascal, weaving a gripping tale set against the backdrop of a pandemic.

8. Highest 2 Lowest
Spike Lee’s neo-noir crime thriller reimagines Kurosawa’s classic High and Low, featuring Denzel Washington in a modern context.