Gaza and Trump take center stage at the politically polarized Cannes Film Festival inauguration
In the midst of the glamour and prestige at the Cannes Film Festival, emotional pleas and strong statements against injustice echoed. The festival's jury head, Juliette Binoche, paid a heartfelt tribute to Gaza photographer Fatima Hassouna, who lost her life along with her family in an Israeli air strike, just a day after her documentary was selected to premiere at Cannes.
Hassouna, a promising 25-year-old artist, should have been among the star-studded crowd, but was cruelly taken away. Binoche, choked with emotions, implored that artists worldwide are persistently advocating daily, transforming resistance into art across every region.
Binoche also subtly mentioned the Israeli hostages taken by Palestinian group Hamas during their 2023 assault on Israel, which sparked the Gaza war. This attack resonated with more than 380 film insiders, including household names like Ralph Fiennes, Pedro Almodovar, and Richard Gere, who were 'ashamed' of their industry's silence on the Gaza crisis. They released a letter, denouncing the atrocities and condoling the death of Hassouna.
Meanwhile, Robert De Niro, an outspoken critic of Trump, made waves with his views on the latter's plans for 100-percent tariffs on foreign-produced films. De Niro decried the tariffs and termed this an unacceptable global problem, not just an American one. Trump's proposal sent a ripple of unease through the film fraternity, yet few understood how this policy would be implemented.
Amidst the excitement of the opening ceremony, the festival also introduced a new dress code, banning excessively large dresses and total nudity. Halle Berry, a jury member, had to abandon an elaborate gown by Indian designer Gaurav Gupta due to its oversized train. Others like Heidi Klum and Wan Qianhui defiantly flouted the dress code.
As the opening gala was underway, a Paris court sent shockwaves through the film community by convicting Gerard Depardieu for sexual harassment, sentencing him to 18 months in prison (suspended). At 76, the legendary actor is the highest-profile figure ensnared in France's response to the #MeToo movement against sexual violence.
In the broader context, artists and activists worldwide continue to speak out against the Israeli actions in Gaza, with over 380 film industry professionals expressing outrage over the industry's silence on the situation. The ongoing violence and humanitarian crisis in the region has sparked a global response, with calls for urgent international intervention to halt the manufactured famine in Gaza, where farmland is destroyed, fisheries are restricted, and over two million Palestinians are grappling with famine conditions due to the prolonged blockade.
References:[1] AFP, Cannes kicks off with show of support for Palestine, 2025[2] Variety, Cannes 2025: Pro-Palestine Activist Groups Launch Letter Demanding Change in Film, 2025[3] Liberation, Letter from Cannes 2025 signatories critical of Israel's Gaza policy, 2025[4] Artists Against Apartheid, Call to Action, 2023[5] UNICEF, Urgent Action Needed to Halt Manufactured Famine in Gaza, 2025
- The Cannes Film Festival, with its glamorous atmosphere, was unsettled by emotional pleas and statements against the ongoing war-and-conflicts in Gaza, particularly the Israeli actions.
- The jury head, Juliette Binoche, paid tribute to the 25-year-old Palestinian photographer, Fatima Hassouna, who was killed in an Israeli air strike, just a day after her documentary was selected to premiere at Cannes.
- Binoche's emotional speech was echoed by over 380 film insiders, including celebrities like Ralph Fiennes, Pedro Almodovar, and Richard Gere, who expressed their disappointment over the industry's silence on the Gaza crisis and denounced the atrocities.
- Meanwhile, the festival discussions extended to politics and social-media, with Robert De Niro expressing his concerns over Donald Trump's plans for 100-percent tariffs on foreign-produced movies, deeming it an unacceptable global problem.
- The entertainment world was also rocked by the crime-and-justice issue, as a Paris court convicted Gerard Depardieu for sexual harassment, sentencing him to 18 months in prison (suspended), making him the highest-profile figure ensnared in France's response to the #MeToo movement.
- The general-news of the ongoing crisis in Gaza has sparked a global response, with calls for urgent international intervention to halt the manufactured famine, where over two million Palestinians are struggling with famine conditions due to the prolonged blockade, and farmland and fisheries are being destroyed.
