Cannes 2025: German films shine in Trump's shadow!

Cannes 2025: German films shine in Trump's shadow!

Today, May 12, 2025, the starting signal is given for the 78th Cannes International Film Festival. The event, which attracts numerous stars from around the world, takes place amid a tense political climate, particularly marked by the recent announcement by former US President Donald Trump. Trump has announced that 100% tariffs will now be imposed on films produced outside the US, hitting the European film industry hard. European cinema has traditionally depended on government subsidies, which is in clear contradiction to Trump's economic agenda. FR.de reports that German films will also be in focus this year, although only Mascha Schiliniski's "Looking into the Sun" and Fatih Akin's "Amrum" are represented in the competition.

This year's festival opening will be directed by Richard Linklater with the film "Nouvelle Vague", which deals with the filming of the legendary film "Out of Breath". The red carpet will also feature Tom Cruise with his film “The Final Reckoning” and Wes Anderson with his project “The Phoenicican Scheme”. Ari Aster is also bringing the western “Eddington” and Kelly Reichardt is bringing the work “The Mastermind,” which deals with an art theft from the 1970s.

Proportion of women and competition entries

This year, seven women are taking part in the competition, which is the highest proportion since 2023. Julia Ducournau, known for her work in the body horror genre, is presented with “Alpha”. Actress Scarlett Johansson will also be making her directorial debut, which is about a 90-year-old woman who starts a new life in New York. Spike Lee is bringing a remake of Akira Kurosawa's "High and Low" under the title "Highest 2 Lowest". The German contributions are based on a variety of topics and perspectives and tell stories over 100 years and four girls on an East German farm or reflect on Hark Bohm's childhood memories.

The festival takes place in a special year. It was already noted in advance that the American film “Anora” won the Oscar for best film in Cannes last year. The discussions about common settlements such as the Golden Palm will also be decided by the jury chaired by Greta Gerwig on May 25th.

Political issues and social challenges

The festival is not only a platform for creative works, but also reflects current social challenges. Political references can be found in works such as “The Apprentice” by Ali Abbasi, which deals with Donald Trump, and “Invasion” by Sergei Loznitsa, which deals with everyday wartime life in Ukraine. Judith Godrèche is also showing a short film in which women share their experiences with abuse. A new competition for immersive works such as virtual or augmented reality is also waiting for interested viewers.

However, the anticipation of the festival is clouded by internal conflicts: Festival employees are threatening a strike because of poor working conditions, whereupon talks with the festival management have been announced. Despite these concerns, Cannes remains an important place for film art and culture.