Academy Award-winning actress Juliette Binoche has been appointed jury president for the 2025 Cannes Film Festival, the organisers announced on Tuesday. At 60 years old, she will only be the second female to preside over the jury, following the footsteps of Barbie and Little Women director Greta Gerwig, who was given the honour the previous year. Gerwig was responsible for crowning Sean Baker’s Anora with the Palme d’Or.
"In 1985, I climbed the steps for the first time with the enthusiasm and uncertainty of a young actress,” Binoche said in a statement, referencing her debut appearance at the Cannes for her breakthrough film Rendez-vous, for which director André Téchiné won Best Director.
"I never imagined returning 40 years later in this honorary role as jury president. I am aware of the privilege, the responsibility, and the absolute need for humility," she added.
Binoche’s career has been backed by numerous accolades. Back in 2010, Binoche won the Best Actress Award at the prestigious film festival for her performance in Abbas Kiarostami’s Certified Copy, where she portrayed a nameless character working in a French antique store. Binoche is also well known among the international audience for her role as nurse Hana in the 1996 war film The English Patient, which earned her a Best Supporting Actress at the Oscars.
The 78th Cannes Film Festival will take place from May 13 to May 24.