The Cannes Critics’ Week has unveiled its selection of eight emerging filmmakers for the Next Step 2025 program, an initiative aimed at supporting directors as they transition from short films to feature-length projects. Now in its 11th edition, the program, led by Ava Cahen and directed by Thomas Rosso, provides a space for training and creative mentorship for directors previously featured in this parallel section of the Cannes Film Festival.
The workshop, set to take place at the iconic Moulin d’Andé and in Paris, will include guidance on screenwriting and production from experts such as Marie Dubas, Elene Naveriani, Julie Lecoustre, Yacine Badday, and Philippe Barrière. Additionally, sessions dedicated to film music will offer personalized consultations with composers Léonie Floret, Harry Allouche, and Yan Wagner. The winning project will be announced in May on the Croisette.
Since its inception, Next Step has supported 96 projects from 39 countries, with 43% of them led by women directors. Recent successes include Une langue universelle by Matthew Rankin, showcased at the Directors’ Fortnight, as well as Arcadia by Yorgos Zois and Some Rain Must Fall by Qiu Yang, both selected for Berlinale 2024. Other notable titles include How to Have Sex by Molly Manning Walker and The Settlers by Felipe Gálvez, Chile’s official submission for the 2024 Oscars.
This year’s selected projects include:
