Juliette Binoche has been named president of the jury for the 78th Cannes Film Festival, set to run from May 13 to 24, 2025, per deadline.com. This prestigious role marks a poignant full-circle moment for the French actress, who first graced the festival’s iconic steps 40 years ago with André Téchiné’s Rendez-vous in 1985.
Binoche, an Oscar winner for The English Patient and a celebrated figure in global cinema, expressed her gratitude and humility in accepting the role.
“In 1985, I walked up the steps for the first time with the enthusiasm and uncertainty of a young actress; I never imagined I’d return 40 years later as President of the Jury,” she said.
The festival’s announcement highlighted Binoche’s illustrious career, spanning over 70 films and collaborations with legendary directors such as Michael Haneke, Abbas Kiarostami and Hirokazu Kore-eda. Her performances in Certified Copy (2010), for which she won Best Actress at Cannes, and The Taste of Things (2023) have solidified her status as a cinematic icon.
Binoche follows in the footsteps of Greta Gerwig, who presided over the 2024 jury, and joins an elite group of women who have held the position, including Sophia Loren, Jane Campion and Cate Blanchett. The festival praised Binoche’s “stupefying presence and intensity,” as well as her commitment to social causes, including human rights and environmental advocacy.
- Featured image: Juliette Binoche at the Cannes Film Festival in 2024/Vittorio Zunino Celotto/Getty Images
