Laurent Lafitte Returns as Master of Ceremonies at the 2025 Cannes Film Festival

Nine years after making headlines with a controversial joke, Laurent Lafitte is set to return as the master of ceremonies for the 78th edition of the Cannes Film Festival, taking place from May 13 to May 24, 2025. The announcement was made this Wednesday, March 26, by France Télévisions and Brut, official media partners of the event.

Having previously hosted the festival’s opening and closing ceremonies in 2016, the actor and comedian follows in the footsteps of Camille Cottin, who held the role in 2024, as well as Virginie Efira and Chiara Mastroianni in previous years. His comeback promises a blend of experience and elegance, bringing his signature style to the prestigious event.

A Versatile Actor Between Cinema and Theatre

Laurent Lafitte is a well-established name in the French entertainment industry. Trained at the Conservatoire National Supérieur d’Art Dramatique in Paris and the Guildford School of Acting in England, he has excelled both on stage and on screen. A former member of the Comédie-Française, he has worked with acclaimed directors such as Mathieu Kassovitz, Guillaume Canet, Claude Miller, and Michel Gondry.

In 2016, he starred alongside Isabelle Huppert in Paul Verhoeven’s Elle, which was featured in the official competition at Cannes. He also made his directorial debut in 2020 with L’Origine du monde, a film that was well received. More recently, he portrayed Bernard Tapie in the Netflix series about the French businessman and politician.

An Edition Under the Leadership of Juliette Binoche

The 78th edition of the Cannes Film Festival will also shine the spotlight on Juliette Binoche, who has been appointed president of the jury. Honored in Cannes in 2010 for Certified Copy by Abbas Kiarostami, the actress follows in the footsteps of Ruben Östlund, winner of the Palme d’Or in 2017 and 2022.

The official lineup of competing films is set to be unveiled on April 10, when the festival’s general delegate, Thierry Frémaux, will announce the selected entries.

With his return to the Cannes stage, Laurent Lafitte has the opportunity to leave a lasting impression once again—this time with a renewed approach, celebrating cinema with sophistication and wit.