Ahmed Zaman Shimul
The Cannes Film Festival remains the most prestigious celebration of global cinema, and among its many initiatives, the Cannes Residency stands out as a nurturing ground for emerging filmmakers.
Since its inception in 2000, the programme has supported more than 250 directors from 60 countries, including internationally acclaimed names such as Lucrecia Martel, Nadine Labaki, László Nemes and Lukas Dhont. Now marking its 25th anniversary, the residency has launched its 50th session, which began on October 1 and will run until February 15, 2026.
Six young filmmakers are taking part in this edition: Alicja Bednaricová (Slovakia), Federico Luis (Argentina), Maksym Nakonechnyi (Ukraine), Lys Santos Araujo (Brazil), Baran Sarmad (Iran) and Diane Weiss (South Africa).
Over four and a half months in Paris, they will develop their feature film scripts through personalised mentoring and collaborative workshops with experienced industry professionals.
Initially led by Sylvie Péras, and later by Georges Goldenstern, the residency is now directed by Stéphanie Lamomme. Each year, 12filmmakers working on their first or second feature films are selected across two sessions.
Recent participants have had the opportunity to engage with distinguished artists including Céline Sciamma, Alice Rohrwacher, Justine Triet, Albert Serra and cinematographer Claire Mathon.
The impact of the Cannes Residency is reflected in the global success of its alumni. Films developed under the programme have gone on to earn major honours, from Corneliu Porumboiu’s Camera d’Or (2006) to Amat Escalante’s Best Director Award (2013), Michel Franco’s Best Screenplay (2015) and László Nemes’ Grand Prix and Academy Award wins (2015–2016).
More recent triumphs include Nadine Labaki’s Capernaum (2018), Lukas Dhont’s Girl (2018), Nadav Lapid’s Synonyms (2019), Carla Simón’s Alcarràs (2022) and Payal Kapadia’s All We Imagine as Light (2024).
Among its success stories, Chilean filmmaker Diego Céspedes, a residency alumnus, went on to win the Un Certain Regard Award at Cannes 2019 for The Mysterious Gaze of the Flamingo.
After 25 years, the Cannes Residency continues to be a beacon for aspiring storytellers: a space where the next generation of world cinema begins to take shape.
