The 64th Cannes Critics’ Week (Semaine de la critique) taking place May 14th – 22nd, 2025 has unveiled the official selection. The parallel section to the Cannes Film Festival will open with L’interêt d’Adam (Adam’s Interest), Belgian director Laura Wendel’s second feature film. Her handheld camera takes us into a pediatric ward to follow three characters; a helpless mother, her malnourished son, and the nurse caring for them.
The closing film is Planètes (Dandelion’s Odyssey), Japanese director Momoko Seto’s first animated feature, the incredible journey of four dandelions who have survived a nuclear explosion and seek a place to take root.
The special screenings will highlight two French comedies – Baise en ville and Des preuves d’amour (Love Letters).
Baise en ville, French director Martin Jauvat’s second feature film, is a quirky walking road–movie about an unemployed young man who, having decided to get his driver’s license, strolls around in search of a job to pay for his driving lessons. Martin Jauvat himself plays the title role, joined by William Lebghil and Emmanuelle Bercot.
Des preuves d’amour (Love Letters), French director Alice Douard’s first feature film starring Ella Rumpf and Monia Chokri, a dramatic comedy on motherhood, portrays the chaotic journey of two married women as they are waiting for their first baby. One is pregnant, the other must complete the adoption process.
7 feature films – among which 5 first and 2 second features in this year’s competition.
A Useful Ghost (Pee Chai Dai Ka), Thai director Ratchapoom Boonbunchachoke’s first film is a zany narrative film in which ghosts protest against oblivion by reincarnating into home appliances in order to grab the attention of the living and set their particles in motion. Social satire and romantic comedy blend into a burlesque tale that gets our bodies and our minds hot and bothered. Starring Davika Hoorne, the new star of Thai cinema.s a passionate and skillful reinterpretation of neo-noir conventions.
Ciudad Sin Sueño (Sleepless City), Spanish director Guillermo Galoe’s first narrative feature, shot in Europe’s largest slum – Cañada Real – with the support of its residents. It is the story of two inseparable friends who must part, since one of them moves away. Conveying the deeply-rooted reality of this buddy movie, it taps into formidable creativity to release new images and sensations that rip into the tired tropes.
Kika, Belgian director Alexe Poukine’s first narrative feature is a hardhitting portrait of a social worker suddenly struck by tragedy, doing what she can to cope, even if it means resorting to unconventional methods. Unflinching storytelling and the revelation of a strong actress, Manon Clavel, are a couple of the many qualities of this great feminist and social drama about love, grief, and hardship.
Imago, Chechen director Deni Oumar Pitsaev’s first feature film is an autobiographical documentary shot with a light camera setup capturing life as it unfolds. The director owns a small plot of land in a Georgian valley at the foot of the Caucasus, on the border of Chechnya, where he plans to build a futuristically-designed house, at odds with the landscape and traditions. His dream sparks debates in the family, reigniting longsimmering conflicts and past traumas of this uprooted community.
Left-Handed Girl , Taiwanese director Shih-Ching Tsou’s first solo feature, is a fast-paced urban melodrama that tracks a single mother and her two daughters, newly arrived in Taipei and already overwhelmed by debts and problems. Driven by a phenomenal trio of actresses, this tragicomedy gradually morphs into a striking odyssey, full of twists and emotions, that pounds the asphalt and sets our hearts racing.
Nino, French director Pauline Loquès’ first feature film, captures three decisive days in the life of a drifting young man, on the streets after losing the keys to his apartment. A wonderful, luminous chronicle told in real time of this protagonist as he wanders the streets, caught between his dilemmas and confessions. Quebecois actor Théodore Pellerin delivers a deeply moving, nuanced performance.
Rietland (Reedland), Dutch director Sven Bresser’s first feature film, the enigmatic portrait of a reed cutter obsessed with the murder of a teenage girl. After discovering the body himself, he inserts himself in the stalled investigation. A dark crime drama masterfully builds a powerful, singular atmosphere, sustaining mystery and doubt until the curtain falls.
The jury of the 64th Semaine de la Critique will be presided by Spanish director, screenwriter, and producer Rodrigo Sorogoyen, accompanied by Moroccan film critic Jihane Bougrine, French-Canadian cinematographer Josée Deshaies, Indonesian producer Yulia Evina Bhara, and Oscar-winning British actor Daniel Kaluuya.
2025 Cannes Critics’ Week (Semaine de la critique) Lineup
In competition
Ciudad Sin Sueño (Sleepless City) | Guillermo Galoe
Spain – France | 1h37
Imago | Déni Oumar Pitsaev
France – Belgium | 1h48
Kika | Alexe Poukine
Belgium – France | 1h48
Left-Handed Girl | Shih-Ching Tsou
Taiwan – France – United States – United Kingdom | 1h48
Nino | Pauline Loquès
France | 1h36
Pee Chai Dai Ka (A Useful Ghost) | Ratchapoom Boonbunchachoke
Thailande – France – Singapore – Germany | 2h10
Rietland (Reedland) | Sven Bresser
The Netherlands – Belgium | 1h50
Special screenings
Opening Film
L’intérêt d’Adam (Adam’s Interest) | Laura Wandel
Belgium – France | 1h13
Special Screenings
Baise en ville | Martin Jauvat
France | 1h37
Des preuves d’amour (Love Letters) | Alice Douard
France | 1h36
Closing Film
Planètes (Dandelion’s Odyssey) | Momoko Seto
France – Belgium | 1h15