Janet Nepales at the Golden Globes Variety party during the 2025 Cannes Film Festival

Hollywood Stars, Filipino Filmmakers Shine at the 2025 Cannes Film Festival

BY JANET SUSAN R. NEPALES

One didn’t need to go to Hollywood to see the stars—they all arrived at the 2025 Cannes Film Festival and took over the red carpet at the Promenade de la Croisette.

Beaming with his 24-karat smile was Tom Cruise, whose “Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning” was screened at the French Riviera festival.

Unlike three years ago, when the superstar premiered “Top Gun: Maverick” with jets flying overhead, this year, Cruise entered the red carpet without fanfare but was still met with a frenzy of fans.

Always the belle of the ball—or in this case, the red carpet—Angelina Jolie attended the “Eddington” premiere in a nude off-shoulder Brunello Cucinelli ballgown and a Chopard necklace.

She was set to present a trophy to rising stars Marie Colomb and Finn Bennett at a ceremony on Carlton Beach later in the week. In the meantime, she showed support for the Ari Aster-directed film, which stars her colleagues and friends Joaquin Phoenix, Pedro Pascal, Austin Butler and Emma Stone.

What was more glittering than the pairing of Jennifer Lawrence and Robert Pattinson, as they arrived for the premiere of their film, “Die, My Love,” which earned a nine-minute standing ovation at the Grand Théâtre Lumière.

Scarlett Johansson debuted as a director at Cannes with “Eleanor the Great,” starring June Squibb. Fresh from hosting “Saturday Night Live,” the actress-turned-director flew to the Riviera with her husband, longtime SNL cast member Colin Jost.

Regal and poised, Cate Blanchett channeled old Hollywood glamour in a Louis Vuitton gown during the closing ceremony and stood out as she ascended the steps of the Palais in her black halter-neck gown.

Despite a heated encounter with a photographer, Denzel Washington remained composed when he received his honorary Palme d’Or at the premiere of Spike Lee’s film “Highest 2 Lowest.”

Two years ago, Leonardo DiCaprio and Robert De Niro walked the Cannes carpet for Martin Scorsese’s “Killers of the Flower Moon.” This year they returned, with DiCaprio presenting the lifetime achievement Palme d’Or to De Niro at the opening ceremony.

One of the festival’s highlights was the bombastic, politically charged acceptance speech by De Niro.

“In my country, we are fighting like hell for the democracy we once took for granted. That affects all of us here, because art is the crucible that brings people together, like tonight. Art looks for truth. Art embraces diversity. That’s why art is a threat. That’s why we are a threat to autocrats and fascists,” he said.

“You can’t put a price on creativity, but apparently you can put a tariff on it. Of course, this is unacceptable. All of these attacks are unacceptable,” he added.

Opening the festival officially was award-winning director Quentin Tarantino, who even dropped the mic dramatically after his dialogue.

The jury of the 2025 Festival de Cannes, chaired by French actress Juliette Binoche, included American actress and filmmaker Halle Berry, Indian director and screenwriter Payal Kapadia, Italian actress Alba Rohrwacher, French-Moroccan writer Leïla Slimani, Congolese documentarian and producer Dieudo Hamadi, Korean director Hong Sang-soo, Mexican filmmaker Carlos Reygadas and American actor Jeremy Strong. They selected winners among 22 films in competition.

The coveted Palme d’Or went to controversial Iranian filmmaker Jafar Panahi for “It Was Just an Accident,” while Joachim Trier’s comedy-drama “Sentimental Value,” starring Stellan Skarsgård and Elle Fanning, earned the Grand Prix.

Other notable films included:

• “Alpha,” a drama directed by Julia Ducournau and starring Mélissa Boros and Tahar Rahim
• “Highest 2 Lowest,” directed by Spike Lee, starring Denzel Washington, Jeffrey Wright and ASAP Rocky, with cinematography by Filipino American Matthew Libatique
• Wes Anderson’s star-studded “The Phoenician Scheme,” featuring Benicio del Toro, Scarlett Johansson and Benedict Cumberbatch
• “Die, My Love,” starring Jennifer Lawrence and Robert Pattinson
• “Eddington,” starring Joaquin Phoenix, Pedro Pascal, Austin Butler and Emma Stone
• “Father, Mother, Sister, Brother,” starring Cate Blanchett and Adam Driver
• “The Chronology of Water,” the directorial debut of Kristen Stewart

Filipino filmmakers also shared the spotlight.

Award-winning auteur Lav Diaz led the Philippine delegation with the world premiere of his historical film “Magellan,” starring Gael García Bernal.

Young filmmakers Arvin Belarmino, Kyla Danelle Romero and Kristine De Leon brought two short films to Cannes as nominees: “Agapito” and “Ali.” The latter, a Philippines-Bangladesh co-production directed by Adnan Al Rajeev, won the Special Mention award in the short film category.

At the press conference, Rajeev thanked the Philippine team—Belarmino and Romero, who scripted the film, and De Leon, who produced it.

Former supermodel and arts patron Tetta Agustin and her husband, Christian Baverey, graciously hosted a dinner for the young Filipino filmmakers at their Cannes residence.

This year was also personally significant, as our older daughter, Bianca Nicole Nepales, former vice president of diversity, equity and inclusion at Lionsgate, participated in three panels, including the China Film and Female Empowerment Forum; the Diversity & Inclusion Film Festival (DIFF) and the Fugitive Sister Productions (FSP) panel, “How to Continue to Support Impact & Inclusion in the Entertainment Industry” and AfroCannes.

Several Golden Globe voters and members, including my husband, Ruben, and I, also attended the Variety and Golden Globe annual gala, where awards were presented to outstanding talent and filmmakers.

We were proud to see producers Alemberg Ang and Sylvia Sanchez represent “Renoir,” directed by Chie Hayakawa, which was shortlisted for the main competition.

Producers Sonia Delen, Wendy Pascual and Radi Calalang screened their documentary “The Road to Sydney,” directed by Benito Bautista, which follows the emotional journey of Filipino master choreographer Sydney Loyola, a trans woman confronting discrimination and embracing her identity through dance while seeking reconciliation with her estranged father.

We look forward to next year’s festival and hope to see more glitterati from both Hollywood and the Philippines.