KATHMANDU: The world-renowned 72nd Cannes Film Festival will formally begin on Tuesday. The festival will be running between May 13 and May 24 at the city of Cannes in the south French Riviera region of France.

This year’s Cannes promises several special highlights. Hollywood icon Tom Cruise will walk the red carpet at the global premiere of the final in the world-wide hit Mission: Impossible series, Dead Reckoning.

French comedy feature Live One Day will open the festival. French film legend Juliette Binoche will serve as a judge in the main competition program. Actor Robert De Niro is set to receive an honorary Palme d’Or.

World-famous stars such as Scarlett Johansson, Kristen Stewart, and Harris Dickinson will have their directorial debuts screened in the “Un Certain Regard” category.

Sixteen films directed by women have been officially selected this year, accounting for approximately 28.5% of the lineup an increase from 23.7% the previous year reflecting a positive trend toward inclusion of female filmmakers in the festival.

This year’s Cannes is being held amid controversy following U.S. President Donald Trump’s announcement of a 100% customs duty on foreign films. Questions remain on how this decision might impact the Cannes film market.

Nepali Film Eklo at Cannes Market

Although not selected for competition, the Nepali film Eklo will participate in various segments of the Cannes Film Festival 2025. The movie will be screened at Cannes Market, or Marché du Film, where, for the first time ever, a Nepali feature film will have a promotional booth to present to foreign distributors, sales agents, and producers.

Ritesh Rana, Sangeeta Shrestha, Bhairaja Thapa, Raju Gurung, and Utsav Bista, the producers of Eklo, will represent the movie at Cannes Market from May 13 to 21.The film’s co-operative director, Rishta Karki, will serve as head of marketing. The producers are reportedly investing a significant sum to host their own stall.

The booth will prominently display the national flag of Nepal. Director Pradeep Shahi has already arrived in Paris to prepare for the event and will participate in the Producers Network. “Through this year’s Cannes, we aim to connect both Nepal and Eklo with the global film community,” said Shahi in a statement from Paris.

According to him, seven international distributors have already expressed interest in Eklo, including four from the U.S., two from Japan, and one from India, after viewing details on the official website.

At the Cannes Market, Eklo will be promoted among international distributors, sales agents, producers, and OTT platforms. The producers also aim to promote Nepal as a filming destination and explore potential co-production opportunities.

Director Shahi was earlier announced as an official selection for the Cannes Producers Network. “We’re trying to establish Nepal as a shooting hub and connect our film to global networks. This is the first time a Nepali film will have its own booth at Cannes,” Shahi said.

He added that, in addition to pitching Eklo, he is prepared to meet representatives of global film institutions and producers to discuss future collaborations and co-productions. “Cannes Market will not rest at Eklo alone—it can lead to opening doors for future partnerships as well,” he said.

More than 250 events to facilitate collaboration and business development, from conferences and pitching sessions to workshops, will be organized by The Producers Network.
Shahi and some cast members of Eklo are also expected to walk the red carpet and attend the premiere of a featured film, although final confirmations are still pending.

The Cannes Market is expected to host over 14,000 participants from 140 countries, screen 1,500 films, and pitch more than 4,000 projects. These numbers underline the Cannes Market’s significance as a major platform in the global film industry.

Internationalizing Nepali Cinema

Director Shahi emphasized that Eklo’s participation in this year’s Cannes is a step toward internationalizing Nepali cinema.
“We are still limited to Nepali theaters and local streaming apps. But this is the era of subtitles and AI-powered dubbing,” he said. “With Eklo, we’ve tried to connect a science-fiction story with Hindu culture and traditions. We want to reflect our culture through popular cinema.”

Shahi’s broader aim is to attract foreign investment in Nepali films, promote Nepal as a filming hub, and integrate cultural narratives into cinematic storytelling. “Until now, we haven’t effectively showcased our culture abroad. We either see Bollywood-style adaptations, South Indian templates, or Nepali films that focus only on poverty and hardship. We need to change this perspective,” he remarked.