"A masterpiece", "The sensation of Cannes", "A film of the century" - Mascha Schilinski's SOUND OF FALLING was the first film shown in the Competition and celebrated its premiere on Wednesday, May 14. The film critics celebrated the German director's generational drama and praised its “subtle flair” and “sensitive staging”. The film was a recurring topic of conversation among the festival's trade visitors. The competition jury was also impressed and awarded the Jury Prize to SOUND OF FALLING together with SIRÂT by Óliver Laxe. Mascha Schilinski thanked her team and dedicated the award to all people who find it difficult or almost impossible to make films. In any case, Schilinski left an impression far beyond Cannes. MUBI secured the rights for North America during the festival. The Palme d'Or in the competition went to the film IT WAS JUST AN ACCIDENT by Jafar Panahi. There were also prizes for German co-productions in the competition. The Grand Jury Prize went to SENTIMENTAL VALUE by Joachim Trier. The film was made in co-production with the German production company Komplizen Film. Two prizes were awarded to the Brazilian film THE SECRET AGENT, which was co-produced with Berlin-based One Two Films: Kleber Mendonça Filho received the award for best director, Wagner Moura was honored as best leading actor. THE SECRET AGENT also received the FIPRESCI Award in the Competition category. The Queer Palm went to Hafsia Herzi for LA PETITE DERNIÈRE, co-produced by Katuh Studio.

The short film EROGENESIS by Xandra Popescu was already honored on Friday. The project, which combines video, sculpture, sound and painting, received the Canal+ Award in the Semaine de la Critique section. In her film, director Popescu combines two recurring themes of science fiction: the extinction of species and the possibility of artificially creating life.

The Grand Prize in this section went to the German co-production PEE CHAI DAI KA (A USEFUL GHOST) by Ratchapoom Boonbunchachoke.

There were also prizes for German co-productions in the Un Certain Regard section. These included the Un Certain Regard Prize for LA MISTERIOSA MIRADA DEL FLAMENCO (THE MYSTERIOUS GAZE OF THE FLAMINGO) by Diego Céspedes and the Jury Prize UN POETA (A POET) by Simón Mesa Soto. Directors Arab and Tarzan Nasser were honored for Best Director for ONCE UPON A TIME IN GAZA.

AMRUM by Fatih Akin impressed in the Première section. The historical drama tells the story of author and director Hark Bohm's memories of his childhood and youth on the North Sea island at the end of the Second World War. Screen Daily described AMRUM as a “subtle, heartbreaking coming-of-age story”, Variety praised the “extraordinary performance by Jasper Billerbeck” as the young Nanning.

MIROIRS NO. 3 by Christian Petzold screened in the Quinzaine des cinéastes section. The third film in the trilogy after UNDINE and ROTER HIMMEL also received high marks and praise from the film critics. Petzold once again proves himself to be “a master of economical, minimalist storytelling”, the French press even considers MIROIRS NO. 3 to be “Petzold's best film”. 

Overview of all awards for German productions and co-productions in Cannes 2025:

IN COMPETITION – JURY PRIZE
SOUND OF FALLING (IN DIE SONNE SCHAUEN) by Mascha Schilinski (Studio Zentral)

IN COMPETITION – GRAND PRIZE
SENTIMENTAL VALUE by Joachim Trier (NO/DE/DK/FR/SE, Komplizen Film)

IN COMPETITION – BEST ACTOR
Wagner Moura, THE SECRET AGENT by Kleber Mendonça Filho (BR/FR/DE/NL, One Two Films)

IN COMPETITION – BEST DIRECTOR
Kleber Mendonça Filho for THE SECRET AGENT (BR/FR/DE/NL, One Two Films)

IN COMPETITION - FIPRESCI AWARD
THE SECRET AGENT by Kleber Mendonça Filho (BR/FR/DE/NL, One Two Films)

IN COMPETITION – QUEER PALM
LA PETITE DERNIERE by Hafsia Herzi (FR/DE, Katuh Studio)

UN CERTAIN REGARD PRIZE
THE MYSTERIOUS GAZE OF THE FLAMINGO by Diego Cespedes (FR/DE/CL/ES/BE, Weydemann Bros.)

UN CERTAIN REGARD - JURY PRIZE
UN POETA by Simón Mesa Soto (CO/DE/SE, Ma.ja.de)

UN CERTAIN REGARD - BEST DIRECTORS
Arab und Tarzan Nasser for ONCE UPON A TIME IN GAZA (PSE/FR/UK, Riva Film, Red Balloon)

LA SEMAINE DE LA CRITIQUE – GRAND PRIZE
PEE CHAI DAI KA (A USEFUL GHOST) by Ratchapoom Boonbunchachoke (TH/FR/SG/DE, Mayana Film)

LA SEMAINE DE LA CRITIQUE – CANAL+ AWARD FOR SHORT FILM
EROGENESIS by Xandra Popescu (Angst Film, Hello Trouble, DFFB)