Gaza war, politics take centre stage at Cannes Film Festival 2025 opening night

explosive style and timeless elegance international movie stars walking the red carpet on the opening night of the Can Film Festival a glamorous parade of familiar faces and some new ones us actor Leonardo DiCaprio presenting Hollywood legend Robert Dairo with a lifetime achievement award dairo using
his speech to criticize the US President Donald Trump’s policies and now he has announced a 100% tariff on films produced outside the US let that sink in for a minute you can’t put a price on creativity but apparently you can put a tariff on it jury President Juliet Binosh paid tribute to Gaza photojournalist Fatma Hassuna star of a documentary being screened at Kh she was killed with her family in an Israeli air strike last month fatma Fatma should have been with us tonight but art remains it is the powerful witness of our lives and dreams there’s been increasing pressure on the festival to take a stand on the war in Gaza from some in the movie industry earlier in the day nearly 400 actors directors and other film workers signed an open letter calling for an end to the genocide so my question is to you Madame President Juliet Binosh why you chose not to sign that letter and also do you believe that the movie industry does need to speak out more about the war you will maybe understand it a little later the open letter and documentary have thrown a spotlight on Gaza at the start of the festival the events organizers might like to keep politics out of can but in a turbulent world it’s clearly impossible the festival did honor Ukraine with a screening of three documentaries a film by Ukrainian director Sergey Loits is also one of 22 films competing for the prestigious Palm Door Prize alongside entries from Iran Japan and the US and a treat for Mission Impossible fans the premiere of the final chapter in the action movie saga for which Tom Cruz is expected to arrive in town.