Cannes Film Festival 2025: red carpet restrictions, Oliver Hermanus’s official selection and more

The 78th Cannes International Film Festival kicks off on Tuesday until May 24 in France — with this year’s red carpet organisers putting a long list of new guidelines in place for the red carpet.

The Cannes red carpet gala screenings at the Grand Théâtre Lumière have historically been one of the most ultra-glamorous in the world — with Hollywood’s biggest stars dressed in voluminous and elaborate gowns with long trains and embellishments.

According to this year’s Festival de Cannes organisers: “For decency reasons, nudity is prohibited on the red carpet, as well as any other area of the festival.

“Voluminous outfits, in particular those with a large train that hinder the proper flow of traffic of guests and complicate seating in the theatre, are not permitted. The festival welcoming teams will be obligated to prohibit red carpet access to anyone not respecting these rules.”

South Africa’s National Film and Video Foundation will have an exhibition stand in the African Pavilion.

South African filmmaker Oliver Hermanus will be in attendance with producer Thérèsa Ryan van Graan at Cannes. His film The History of Sound is in official selection and is up for the top prize at the festival, the Palme d’Or.

The film is a historical romantic drama about two men, Lionel (played by Paul Mescal) and David (played by Josh O’Connor), who fall in love while travelling together to record the stories and songs of their countrymen during World War 1.

Hermanus’s 2022 film Living earned lead actor Bill Nighy an Oscar nomination for Best Actor. He has also directed Mary & George, Moffie and Beauty.

Cape Town-based short film Vultures will be in competition for the Palme d'Or. The short thriller film directed by Dian Weys follows a situation with a tow-truck driver after a car crash, which spirals out of control.

South African filmmaker Mark Engels will also be in attendance at Cannes. His film Masinga: The Calling was selected in competition in last week’s Morocco Film Festival.

“The Palermo International Independent Film Festival was an extraordinary experience,” he told TimesLIVE. “We were honoured to win Best Director and Best Original Script. It’s validation not just for me but for the whole ensemble cast and crew who brought this story to life.”

The movie follows the deeply spiritual journey of a Mozambican detective, Masinga, portrayed by South Africa-based actor Hakeen Kae-Kazim, and has earned accolades at the Pan African Film Festival in Los Angeles, the Hollywood Africa Connection in Cape Town and the African Film Festival in Lagos.

A large contingent of South Africa-based film industry figures will attend Cannes and AfroCannes, including director Oliver Schmitz, Neil Brandt, Zoe Ramushu, SA/Dutch director Bauke Brouwer, Gambit Films, filmmaker Firdoze Bulbulia, Faith Isiakpere, Tshepisho Phiri, Jordy Sank, Odette Geldenhuys, Anant Singh and producer Carolyn Carew.

TimesLIVE