Cannes International Film Week 2025: From “New Kid” to Bold Contender

An online revolution in the heart of cinema’s most elite week

CANNES, May 12, 2025 — Just one year ago, Cannes International Film Week launched with modest expectations and more than a few skeptical headlines. A streaming-only festival daring to coincide with the legendary Cannes Film Festival? It sounded, to some, like a digital sideshow. But by the end of its inaugural run, it had earned the attention of cinephiles, industry professionals, and the international press — not as a copycat, but as a bold, necessary companion.

Now in its second edition, Cannes International Film Week returns bigger, sharper, and more ambitious than ever.

Streaming from May 13 through May 31 on the Whush platform, this year’s program features over 180 handpicked films from around the world, curated with the same fiercely independent spirit that defined its debut.

A Festival That Dares to Be Different

What sets this festival apart isn’t just its digital delivery — it’s the philosophy behind it. Rather than mimicking the glitz and transactional frenzy of the Croisette, Cannes International Film Week offers a wholly curated, globally accessible platform focused on artistic integrity, discovery, and diversity of voices. Its selection spans narrative features and shorts, documentaries, experimental cinema, animation, and music videos — with no application fees and no empty filler.

“Last year proved that there’s real hunger for a space like this,” says the festival director. “Not everyone can — or wants to — navigate the politics and price tags of traditional festivals. We’re creating a stage that is open, discerning, and tuned into the future of how films are seen.”

Expanding Opportunities for Filmmakers

This year, the festival introduces two major incentives to further support selected filmmakers:

• A €500 cash prize will go to the most streamed film during the festival. Viewers can sign up for a free 14-day trial via Whush, making participation frictionless.

• All selected filmmakers will receive the Tarkovski Grant (valued at €500 each) as direct recognition of their work.

In addition, a targeted ad campaign to Cannes-based film professionals will help elevate select titles for possible distribution and acquisition. Meanwhile, a respected international jury will hand out awards across a wide range of categories.

Streaming the Future of Festivals

While Cannes International Film Week once prompted doubt, its evolution in just one year suggests something more enduring: a festival not in competition with Cannes, but in conversation with it. By making world-class cinema truly accessible — and by honoring filmmakers beyond red carpets and champagne deals — the festival is fast becoming a critical and cultural counterweight to its more exclusive counterpart.

Visit cannesfilmweek.com or head to Whush.com to begin watching today. The revolution is no longer coming — it’s already streaming.