More Cannes announcements! After the 2025 Cannes Film Festival Directors’ Fortnight lineup was announced earlier this morning, we now have the announce for, ACID, a parallel section of the Cannes Film Festival curated by France’s Association for the Diffusion of Independent Cinema (l’ACID). Nine feature films—eight of them world premieres—have been selected from a pool of 600 submissions. This year’s selection features six narrative films and three documentaries, all chosen for their “original and audacious” approach to storytelling.
The program’s opening film this year is “L’aventura,” directed by French actress and filmmaker Sophie Letourneur. The film follows a family road trip to Sardinia, told from the perspective of an 11-year-old girl. Letourneur stars alongside Philippe Katerine, whose controversial appearance as a “blue man” in the Paris Olympics opening ceremony stirred headlines. “It’s a film about chaos. It’s not a coincidence that Philippe is in it. He’s already created a different kind of chaos,” remarked ACID’s general delegate, Pauline Ginot.
The narrative slate also includes “The Black Snake” by Aurélien Vernhes-Lermusiaux, in which a man returns to the harsh landscapes of Colombia’s Tatacoa desert to visit his dying mother. “Drifting Laurent,: directed by Anton Balekdjian, Léo Couture, and Mattéo Eustachon, centers on a young man who finds himself adrift in a desolate ski resort. From U.S.-based Argentinian filmmaker Lucio Castro, :Drunken Noodles” is described by Ginot as “a fairy tale for adults” and “a choreographic stroll between Pierre Creton’s ‘A Prince’ and ‘The Wizard of Oz.'” In “Entroncamento,” Portuguese director Pedro Cabeleira explores the story of a woman fleeing her past and becoming entangled in a town’s criminal underbelly. And from Finland, first-time director Lauri-Matti Parppei offers “A Light That Never Goes Out,” the story of a perfectionist flutist recovering from a breakdown who crosses paths with a chaotic experimental musician.
Of Parppei’s debut, Ginot shared: “It’s a feel-good movie about depression. It’s so joyful to allow people to discover new filmmakers… There’s nothing more fun than telling the world: ‘Hey, here’s a newcomer who’s made a great film.'”
The documentary portion of the lineup is equally compelling. Sylvain George’s “Obscure Night – Ain’t I a Child?” captures the experiences of Moroccan teenagers living on the streets of Paris. Namir Abdel Messeeh’s “La Vie Après Siham” reflects on his family’s journey between Egypt and France. Sepideh Farsi’s “Put Your Soul on Your Hand and Walk” gives a human voice to the war in Gaza through video calls with a young woman living under bombardment.
“There’s always this question: How do we screen a film about war at Cannes, with all these parties going on and people drinking champagne?” Ginot asked. “This film is not just about Palestine. It’s about a meeting between two women from the Arab world… our own incapacity and about what you can—or can’t—say to someone in the midst of war.”
Ginot reinforced the ethos behind ACID’s programming: “I’m pretty much sure that after watching these films, you won’t say: ‘I have already seen it.’ Instead, you will say: ‘What just happened?’… Telling stories in a different way—that’s our only theme.”
The selection was curated by a 14-member committee of filmmakers, including Romain André, Camila Beltran, and Clara Teper. “They are really involved in watching films from their peers… to avoid being confined to what we already know and have already seen,” Ginot explained. “These directors never try to ‘make a point.’ Instead, there’s a strong belief in the tools offered by cinema, but also a lot of humor and playfulness.”
Since its launch in 1992, ACID has championed emerging voices like Justine Triet, Kaouther Ben Hania, Radu Jude, and Guy Maddin. Its reach extends far beyond the festival: in 2024, ACID helped bring films from its lineup to 150 international screenings and hosted 400 events across 250 partner cinemas in France.
“Instead of just telling a story… we’re looking for films that are not just scripts in motion,” Ginot concluded. “We just love films. This is the greatest job in the world. We’re lucky we get to do it.”
“L’aventura” (dir. Sophie Letourneur)
(France)
Letourneur’s fifth feature film, with Philippe Katerine, Bérénice Vernet, Esteban Melero, and Letourneur herself, is produced by Tourne Films & Atelier de Production. It’s summer holidays in Sardinia, Italy, and a family (road) trip begins. Claudine, soon to be 11 years old, tells the story of their adventures as they go along. That is, when Raoul, her younger brother, doesn’t bother her.
“The Black Snake” (dir. Aurélien Vernhes-Lermusiaux)
(France, Colombia, Brazil)
After years of absence, Ciro is back in the Colombian Tatacoa desert, at the bedside of his dying mother. As he confronts those he has abandoned and an age-old legacy, the last guardians of the desert prowl a land as sublime as it is fragile. Aurélien Vernhes-Lermusiaux’s film features Alexis Tafur, Miguel Angel Viera, Angela Rodríguez, Laura Valentina Quintero and Virgelina Gil. France’s Dublin Films produces – with Diana Bustamante’s Burning in Colombia and Brazil’s Vulcana Cinema co-producing.
“Drifting Laurent” (dir. Anton Balekdjian, Léo Couture, and Mattéo Eustachon)
(France)
Directed by Anton Balekdjian, Léo Couture, and Mattéo Eustachon, it features Baptiste Pérusate, Béatrice Dalle, and Djanis Bouzyani. Produced by Mabel Film, it follows Laurent, who – at 29 years old – is looking for meaning in his life. He ends up in a deserted ski resort in the off-season and quickly blends into the surprising lives of its few locals. When the winter comes and tourists start to arrive, Laurent can’t leave anymore.
“Drunken Noodles” (dir. Lucio Castro)
(U.S., Argentina)
Adnan, a young art student, arrives in New York City to flat-sit for the summer. He’s interning at a gallery where an unconventional older artist he once encountered is being exhibited. As moments from his past and present begin to intertwine, a series of encounters – both artistic and erotic – open cracks in his everyday reality. Produced by Alsina 427.
“Entroncamento” (dir. Pedro Cabeleira)
(Portugal, France)
Pedro Cabeleira’s film – with Ana Vilaça, Cleo Diára, and Rafael Morais – takes a closer look at Laura. Escaping a turbulent past, she tries to rebuild her life, but her disillusioned youth is not so different from herself. Can an honest job compete with the lure of crime? Violence, misfortune, greed, and loyalty rule the streets. Everyone wants a better life. Produced by Optec Filmes – Sociedade Óptica Técnic and co-produced by Kometa Films.
“A Light That Never Goes Out” (dir. Lauri-Matti Parppei)
(Finland, Norway)
Debut director Lauri-Matti Parppei joins forces with Made and Goodtime Pictures on this story about classical flutist Pauli, who returns to his hometown after a breakdown. Reconnecting with old schoolmate Iiris, he’s drawn into experimental music. Pauli, who has always sought perfection, finds comfort in their sonic experiments. With Samuel Kujala, Anna Rosaliina Kauno, Camille Auer and Kaisa-Leena Koskenkorva.
“Life After Siham” (dir. Namir Abdel Messeeh)
(France, Egypt)
Namir Abdel Messeeh’s film talks about Namir, who, when Siham passed away, didn’t realize that she was gone forever. In a child’s mind, mothers are immortal. To keep her memory alive, Namir delves into his family history across Egypt and France. With the cinema of Youssef Chahine as his companion, a story of exile – and, above all, of love – begins to unfold. Oweda Films produces, with Les Films d’ici, Ambient Light & Redstar co-producing.
“Obscure Night – Ain’t I a Child?” (dir. Sylvain George)
(France, Switzerland, Portugal)
Sylvain George’s eighth feature film – following ‘Obscure Night: Goodbye Here, Anywhere’ and ‘Obscure Night: Wild Leaves (the Burning Ones, the Obstinate)’ – produced by noir production, traces the path of young exiles through the nights of Paris. Between furtive gestures and vibrant presences, it sketches youth as a power of being and brings forth, through silence and duration, other ways of inhabiting the world.
“Put Your Soul on Your Hand and Walk” (dir. Sepideh Farsi)
(France, Palestine, Iran)
A Rêves d’eau productions title, directed by Sepideh Farsi, behind the animated “The Siren,” is a window opened through a miraculous encounter with Fatem and offering glimpses of an ongoing massacre of the Palestinians. “She has become my eyes in Gaza, and I, her connection to the outside world,” stated the director. “We have kept this line of life going for almost a year. The bits of pixel and sound that we exchanged have become the film that you see.”
The full lineup for the 2025 Cannes Film Festival can be seen here. The festival runs from May 13th until May 24th.
Are you excited for the 2025 Cannes Film Festival? What do you think of this year’s ACID lineup? Are you planning to attend the festival this year? Which films are you most looking forward to seeing? You can check out my reactions to the lineup here. Please let us know in the comments section below or on our Twitter account.
