The 78th Cannes Film Festival offered no shortage of anticipation, sharp divides, and surprises – yes, including the citywide blackout on the day of the Closing Ceremony.
As always, Cannes was a collision of auteur vision and jury politics – some films stunned, others split opinion. But beyond the red carpet spectacle and Palme d’Or debates, a handful of competition titles truly stood out: bold, moving, or cinematically alive. These five selections didn’t just have me glued to my seat – they stayed with me long after.
The Mastermind by Kelly Reichardt
Flawless. The camera movement in the opening scene grips me instantly. Reichardt tells the story through editing and imagery rather than dialogue, and once again she surprises us with her command of austere filmmaking. With succinct editing and a precise use of jazzy score, her authoritative minimalist approach makes the art-heist film stand out in the official competition.
Sirat by Óliver Laxe
This film haunted me. A few scenes still gave me goose bumps after five days of watching. It is bold and new; it shakes you and then crushes you. The sound design and perfect use of EDM alone demands to be experienced in the cinema.
Alpha by Julia Ducournau
We don’t need more homework assignments from directors stuck in their comfort zones. ( By which I’m calling out Wes Anderson specifically ) Alpha is a film with tangible weaknesses and strengths. It’s chaotic but also fascinating. A mixture of excessive topics makes it hard to grasp exactly what the director is trying to say. But the visual creativity of the human bodies crumbling like rock and the sweeping red sandstorms, along with the performances from the entire cast and the score, all come together to create an emotionally powerful and visually striking experience. It is not a perfect film but it is exactly what I long to see.
Sentimental Value by Joachim Trier
I had predicted that Sentimental Value would take the top prize. I was wrong but a Grand Prix felt fair though. A heartfelt story about family, memories and trauma told through a rather compelling script and layered characters. The performance of Renate Reinsve and Stellan Skarsgård injected a palpable emotional force to the film itself. I don’t want to admit that I cried to a mess by the end, but I did.
It Was Just An Accident by Jafar Panahi
The Palme d’Or winner, It Was Just An Accident, is a solid film. The honour to this dissident Iranian director, Jafar Panahi, at the 78th Cannes felt more like a crown upon his lifetime efforts to diligently making political films under Iranian regime, which of course, is an epic achievement in film history. It Was Just An Accident has an intriguing and simple plot to follow along with bits of dark humour and a delicate structure. We don’t observe much in the way of new cinematic language; even so, the meditation on revenge and forgiveness – along with the trauma of political abuse explored in the film – leaves you deeply jolted and saddened.
