(L-R) Eric Thill, Luxembourg’s Minister of Culture; Rachida Dati, French Minister of Culture;
Credit: MCULT
Luxembourg’s Minister of Culture, Eric Thill, attended the 78th Cannes Film Festival in France on Saturday 17 and Sunday 18 May 2025.
In a press release, Luxembourg’s Ministry of Culture stated that Minister Thill attended the festival to affirm the Luxembourg government's support for national audiovisual creation and to actively represent the Grand Duchy at high-level diplomatic and professional events.
Three Luxembourg works were selected for official competitions at the 2025 Cannes Film Festival - two co-productions in the official selection and one in the festival's immersive competition:
- Un Simple Accident by Jafar Panahi (Bidibul Productions) in the official competition;
- Marcel et Monsieur Pagnol by Sylvain Chomet (Bidibul Productions) in the official "special screenings" selection;
- The Dollhouse by Charlotte Bruneau and Dominic Desjardins (Wild Fang Films) in the official competition in the Cannes Immersive section.
In addition, a “Focus Luxembourg” retrospective devoted to striking immersive creations, described as demonstrating the innovation and dynamism of the sector, was dedicated to five Luxembourg immersive works: Battlefield, This Is My Heart, Floating with Spirits, Ito Meikyū and Oto's Planet.
The ministry added that on Saturday 17 May 2025, during his speech at the Luxembourg Pavilion on the occasion of the traditional Luxembourg Day, Minister Thill stated: "In Cannes, Luxembourg demonstrates its expertise, its creativity and its spirit of collaboration. Our country is today recognised as a credible and ambitious audiovisual player internationally."
As part of European cooperation initiatives, Minister Thill also took part in a Benelux meeting at the Netherlands Pavilion, where a new audiovisual co-development incentive between the three Benelux countries was announced, illustrating the shared desire to strengthen cross-border co-productions.
On Sunday 18 May 2025, Minister Thill participated in a working lunch with Alain Berset, Secretary General of the Council of Europe, Glenn Micallef, European Commissioner for Intergenerational Equity, Youth, Culture and Sport, and other international officials to discuss the challenges of cultural diversity and support mechanisms for independent production in Europe.
Furthermore, Minister Thill and French Minister of Culture, Rachida Dati, visited the Focus Luxembourg pavilion at Cannes Immersive, marking official recognition of the quality of Luxembourg's immersive production.
Moreover, Minister Thill is reported to have reiterated his commitment to continuing dialogue with professionals in the audiovisual sector and strengthening Luxembourg's position on the international stage. He emphasised the importance of a stable and ambitious framework to support the industry's growth and foster the emergence of new talent.
