Hollywood Royalty Storms Cannes as Berry, Strong Join Historic Panel

Olivia Bennett, 4/29/2025Hollywood shines at Cannes and Venice 2025, with Halle Berry and Jeremy Strong leading a diverse jury under Juliette Binoche at Cannes. Meanwhile, Alexander Payne presides over Venice. Both festivals promise exciting films and passionate debates, spotlighting cinema's dynamic evolution.

Darlings, cinema's most glittering festivals have just dropped their jury lineups for 2025, and honestly? The talent pool is enough to make even the most jaded critic weak at the knees.

Let's dish about Cannes first, shall we? The French Riviera's crown jewel has truly outdone itself this time around. They've managed to snag Halle Berry — yes, that Halle Berry — alongside "Succession" heavyweight Jeremy Strong. (And doesn't that just sound like the most delicious cocktail of Hollywood prowess?)

The incomparable Juliette Binoche takes the president's chair, heading up what might be one of the most globally diverse juries we've seen in years. From Indian maverick Payal Kapadia to Mexican cinema's enfant terrible Carlos Reygadas, it's giving exactly what it should — though heaven help them when it comes time to pick that Palme d'Or winner. Those deliberation rooms at the Palais can get rather... heated.

Meanwhile, Venice — never one to be outdone — has played quite the clever hand. Alexander Payne (fresh off his triumph with "The Holdovers") will be wielding the gavel as Jury President for the 82nd edition. His appointment feels particularly apt as we near the festival's centenary.

"It's an enormous honor and joy," Payne remarked about his Venice appointment, before adding something refreshingly candid about the whole business of competitive festivals. "Although I share a filmmaker's ambivalence about comparing films against one another, I revere the Venice Film Festival's nearly 100-year history of loudly celebrating film as an art form."

Festival director Alberto Barbera couldn't have found a better fit if he'd tried. Payne belongs to that increasingly rare species of filmmaker-slash-cinephile whose passion for the medium runs deeper than this morning's box office numbers.

2025's looking particularly spicy for both festivals. Cannes is making waves by opening with Amélie Bonnin's "Leave One Day" — the first debut film to kick off the festival since... well, ever. The competition lineup reads like a cinephile's fever dream: new works from Joachim Trier, Kelly Reichardt, and Ari Aster (who's apparently gone even stranger with this one, if you can believe it).

These jury announcements speak to something larger than mere festival politics — they're a reminder that cinema, despite all those tedious "death of movies" think pieces, continues to evolve and surprise. From Berry's barrier-breaking Oscar moment to Payne's wickedly sharp storytelling, these artists represent the kaleidoscopic nature of modern filmmaking.

Whether you're planning to brave the Croisette crowds or dodge water taxis in Venice, summer 2025 promises to be an absolute feast for film lovers. Just remember to pack sunscreen for Cannes — that Mediterranean sun shows no mercy, darlings. Not even to jury members.

Darlings, cinema's most glittering festivals have just dropped their jury lineups for 2025, and honestly? The talent pool is enough to make even the most jaded critic weak at the knees.Let's dish about Cannes first, shall we? The French Riviera's crown jewel has truly outdone itself this time around. They've managed to snag Halle Berry — yes, that Halle Berry — alongside "Succession" heavyweight Jeremy Strong. (And doesn't that just sound like the most delicious cocktail of Hollywood prowess?)The incomparable Juliette Binoche takes the president's chair, heading up what might be one of the most globally diverse juries we've seen in years. From Indian maverick Payal Kapadia to Mexican cinema's enfant terrible Carlos Reygadas, it's giving exactly what it should — though heaven help them when it comes time to pick that Palme d'Or winner. Those deliberation rooms at the Palais can get rather... heated.Meanwhile, Venice — never one to be outdone — has played quite the clever hand. Alexander Payne (fresh off his triumph with "The Holdovers") will be wielding the gavel as Jury President for the 82nd edition. His appointment feels particularly apt as we near the festival's centenary."It's an enormous honor and joy," Payne remarked about his Venice appointment, before adding something refreshingly candid about the whole business of competitive festivals. "Although I share a filmmaker's ambivalence about comparing films against one another, I revere the Venice Film Festival's nearly 100-year history of loudly celebrating film as an art form."Festival director Alberto Barbera couldn't have found a better fit if he'd tried. Payne belongs to that increasingly rare species of filmmaker-slash-cinephile whose passion for the medium runs deeper than this morning's box office numbers.2025's looking particularly spicy for both festivals. Cannes is making waves by opening with Amélie Bonnin's "Leave One Day" — the first debut film to kick off the festival since... well, ever. The competition lineup reads like a cinephile's fever dream: new works from Joachim Trier, Kelly Reichardt, and Ari Aster (who's apparently gone even stranger with this one, if you can believe it).These jury announcements speak to something larger than mere festival politics — they're a reminder that cinema, despite all those tedious "death of movies" think pieces, continues to evolve and surprise. From Berry's barrier-breaking Oscar moment to Payne's wickedly sharp storytelling, these artists represent the kaleidoscopic nature of modern filmmaking.Whether you're planning to brave the Croisette crowds or dodge water taxis in Venice, summer 2025 promises to be an absolute feast for film lovers. Just remember to pack sunscreen for Cannes — that Mediterranean sun shows no mercy, darlings. Not even to jury members.