Festivals - Deauville 2025: Golshifteh Farahani, President of the Jury for the 51st Deauville Film Festival

By Mulder, 12 may 2025

Golshifteh Farahani perfectly embodies the spirit of the Deauville Film Festival, a place where cinema meets freedom of expression and artistic daring. By choosing this international icon as jury president for its 51st edition, the Festival affirms its commitment to cinema without borders, where creativity is celebrated without compromise. Her appointment is much more than a prestigious choice; it reflects a strong stance in favor of art that challenges conventions and opens up new perspectives. Golshifteh Farahani, through her unique career, represents the spirit of freedom that drives contemporary cinema and inspires future generations. She is a symbol of artistic resistance, of a refusal to be confined by identity labels, always ready to explore new territories, whether on stage, on screen, or in her personal life. It is this ability to embody diverse stories, imbued with a rare inner strength, that makes her a leading figure in world cinema.

Golshifteh Farahani is much more than an actress; she is an artistic fighter, a woman of conviction, whose career has been marked by a quest for freedom, both personal and artistic. Since her childhood in Iran, she has always sought to push back the boundaries imposed by a restrictive society, notably by becoming the first Iranian actress to appear in a Hollywood production since the 1979 Revolution. This bold move came at a high price: banned from her native country after appearing without a hijab in “The Salesman” alongside Leonardo DiCaprio, she moved to France to continue her rich and eclectic artistic career. This transition not only marked a turning point in her career, but also affirmed her status as a free woman, refusing to bow to cultural and religious dictates. She reinvented herself with fierce energy, embracing roles that reflect her duality between modernity and tradition, between cultural identity and universal aspiration.

Her debut in Dariush Mehrjui's 'The Pear Tree' earned her recognition as a precocious talent, subsequently confirming her ability to embody strong and complex characters. Her filmography reflects her refusal to be typecast: a courageous woman in Syngué sabour - Pierre de patience, a combative teacher in My Sweet Pepper Land, a warrior in Les Filles du soleil, and a figure of independence in Jim Jarmusch's Paterson. Her international career demonstrates a desire to break down cultural and cinematic barriers and to commit herself body and soul to each project with rare intensity. She carries within her the memory of a self-accepted exile and a relentless struggle for artistic and personal recognition, and this determination shines through in each of her performances, where vulnerability blends with strength with disarming sincerity.

As president of the jury, Golshifteh Farahani brings with her a unique perspective and a sensitivity nourished by her personal and professional experiences. Her exile, her commitment to women's rights, and her ability to resonate with universal stories give her unquestionable legitimacy to evaluate the works in competition this year. Her recent appearance on stage with Coldplay, performing the anthem of the Iranian protests, underscores how she continues to fight for her beliefs while celebrating the power of art as a means of resistance. This moving and committed musical performance is just the tip of the iceberg of her ongoing commitment to human rights, which she never hesitates to brandish as a banner during her public appearances. Her voice, her body, and her art become weapons to confront injustice, and it is this indomitable energy that the Deauville Festival wanted to celebrate by offering her the presidency of the jury.

This choice also sends a strong message from the Deauville Festival to filmmakers and audiences alike: art must remain a space of freedom. Golshifteh Farahani, through her career and her aura, embodies this vision of a cinema that is committed, open to the world and to the struggles that divide it. Her role as president is not only an honor, but a vibrant testimony to the power of images to change mindsets and inspire future generations. More than a cinema icon, she has become a leading figure for freedom of expression, and her time in Deauville as jury president will undoubtedly leave an indelible mark on this 51st edition.

In 2025, the Deauville Festival promises to be more than ever a crossroads of cultures and talent, and Golshifteh Farahani will undoubtedly be its passionate and enlightened soul. Her election to this prestigious position is a recognition of her extraordinary career and her ability to transcend cultural boundaries through cinema. The public eagerly awaits to discover her influence on the selection and to perceive, through her critical eye, the richness of the works presented this year.

(Source: press release)