Festivals - Cannes 2025: The city prepares to celebrate cinema and welcome industry professionals

By Mulder, Cannes, Croisette, 11 may 2025

The city of Cannes is buzzing with excitement as final preparations for the 78th Cannes Film Festival get underway. Under a clear blue sky, the city is gradually transforming to welcome film industry professionals, the international press, and distinguished guests who will walk the red carpet in a few days. Residents, accustomed to the annual ballet of technical crews and decorators, watch closely as each step signals the imminent arrival of this globally followed event.

On the Croisette, structures are taking shape. Large white tarpaulins bearing the word “Cannes” in capital letters dominate the facades of the Palais des Festivals, reflecting the Mediterranean sunlight. Workers are busy, meticulously adjusting the final details. Rows of metal barriers already mark out the areas reserved for celebrities, and security guards begin their inspection rounds to ensure that the festivities run smoothly. Technicians are busy installing sound and lighting equipment, checking every cable and every projector to make sure everything is ready for the red carpet.

The atmosphere in the city's hotels, such as the Carlton and the Mondrian, also reflects this feverish mood. The facades are immaculately maintained, flags fly elegantly, and hotel staff put the finishing touches to the receptions for their prestigious guests. The staff, already accustomed to this time of year, know how important every detail is to ensure that the welcome lives up to expectations. The reception rooms, sparkling with cleanliness, are ready to welcome the film crews, jurors, and international critics who will be arriving shortly.
The shop windows on the Croisette are also decked out in the colors of the festival. Many stores display photographs of iconic actors or excerpts from posters from past editions, reminding us that Cannes has been living and breathing cinema for decades. Tourists, too, soak up the unique atmosphere, taking photos of legendary locations and discussing the films they hope to see in preview screenings.

The tension rises as the opening approaches. The production teams of the films in competition arrive, often discreetly, at luxury hotels. Cars with tinted windows shuttle between train stations and accommodations, transporting talented individuals who have come to defend their work. The first press badges are being distributed, and critics are gearing up for a film marathon that will once again make cinema history.
These images taken today show a city undergoing a metamorphosis, ready to embrace a new edition of this unmissable festival. As the first guests begin to arrive, Cannes is getting ready to vibrate to the rhythm of cinema, under the gaze of the whole world. The magic of the Cannes Film Festival is already palpable, and in a few days, the spotlight will be on this city, which, for a few weeks, will become the beating heart of the seventh art.

A huge thank you to the professional photographer FannyRlPhotography, whose stunning photos will soon be available on her Instagram account @fannyrlphotography