Cannes [France], May 25 : Iranian filmmaker Jafar Panahi won the Palme d’Or at the 78th Cannes Film Festival for his powerful film “It Was Just an Accident”, inspired by his own experience in prison. The film follows five detainees attempting to identify their torturer, despite all having been blindfolded during their captivity. Blending absurdist humor with raw political commentary, the film captivated jurors and audiences alike.
The closing ceremony went ahead largely as scheduled, despite the city being hit with a five-hour power outage earlier in the day. The disruption, suspected to be linked to arson attacks on regional power infrastructure, forced temporary pauses in screenings and impacted festival logistics. Fortunately, backup generators at the Palais des Festivals ensured the main event continued smoothly.
🏆 Major Winners and Jury Highlights
Jury President Juliette Binoche, alongside a majority-female panel that included Halle Berry, Payal Kapadia, Jeremy Strong, and others, handed out the festival’s top honors.
The Grand Prix went to Joachim Trier for “Sentimental Value”, a layered family drama about a filmmaker trying to reconcile with his estranged daughter by casting her in his most personal film.
Kleber Mendonça Filho took home Best Director for “The Secret Agent”, which also earned Wagner Moura the Best Actor award. Nadia Melliti won Best Actress for her performance in “Little Sister”, which also received the Queer Palm.
🥇 Complete List of Winners
COMPETITION
- Palme d’Or: It Was Just an Accident – Jafar Panahi
- Grand Prix: Sentimental Value – Joachim Trier
- Best Director: Kleber Mendonça Filho – The Secret Agent
- Best Actor: Wagner Moura – The Secret Agent
- Best Actress: Nadia Melliti – Little Sister
- Jury Prize (TIE): Sirat – Olivier Laxe & Sound of Falling – Mascha Schilinski
- Special Award (Prix Special): Resurrection – Bi Gan
- Best Screenplay: Young Mothers – Jean-Pierre and Luc Dardenne
OTHER PRIZES
- Camera d’Or: The President’s Cake – Hasan Hadi
- Camera d’Or Special Mention: My Father’s Shadow – Akinola Davies Jr.
- Short Film Palme d’Or: I’m Glad You’re Dead Now – Tawfeek Barhom
- Short Film Special Mention: Ali – Adnan Al Rajeev
- Golden Eye (Documentary): Imago – Deni Oumar Pitsaev
- Golden Eye Special Jury Prize: The Six Billion Dollar Man – Eugene Jarecki
- Queer Palm: Little Sister – Hafsia Heerzi
- Palme Dog: Panda – The Love That Remains
FIPRESCI AWARDS
- Competition: The Secret Agent – Kleber Mendonça Filho
- Un Certain Regard: Urchin – Harris Dickinson
- Parallel Sections: Dandelion’s Odyssey – Momoko Seto
UN CERTAIN REGARD
- Top Prize: The Mysterious Gaze of the Flamingo – Diego Cespedes
- Jury Prize: A Poet – Simon Mesa Soto
- Best Director: Tarzan and Arab Nasser – Once Upon a Time in Gaza
- Best Performance: Cleo Diara – I Only Rest in the Storm; Frank Dillane – Urchin
- Best Screenplay: Harry Lighton – Pillion
- Special Mention: Norah – Tawfik Alzaidi
DIRECTORS’ FORTNIGHT
- Europa Cinemas Label: Wild Foxes – Valery Carnoy
- Audience Choice: The President’s Cake – Hasan Hadi
- SACD Prize: Wild Foxes – Valery Carnoy
CRITICS’ WEEK
- Grand Prize: A Useful Ghost – Ratchapoom Boonbunchachoke
- French Touch Prize: Imago – Deni Oumar Pitsaev
- GAN Foundation Award: Left-Handed Girl – Le Pacte
- Rising Star Award: Theodore Pellerin – Nino
- Leitz Cine Discovery Prize (Short): L’mina – Randa Maroufi
- SACD Prize: Sleepless City – Guillermo Galoe & Victor Alonso-Berbel
- Canal+ Short Film Award: Erogenesis – Xandra Popescu
The 2025 edition of the festival ended with strong artistic statements, a memorable award season, and lingering questions around the power sabotage, which authorities are continuing to investigate.