The 2025 Cannes Film Festival is heating up with some big-name stars stepping behind the camera for the very first time as directors!
Scarlett Johansson is making her directorial debut with a heartfelt drama called Eleanor the Great. The story centers on a seventy-year-old woman who, after losing her best friend and roommate, tries to start her life over. Making new friends isn’t easy for her, but her deep desire for connection leads her to form an unexpected bond—with a 19-year-old student. The film is backed by Justin Baldoni’s Wayfarer Studios and stars June Squibb and Harris Dickinson.
Speaking of Dickinson, he’s not just acting—he’s also stepping into the director’s chair for the first time with his own film, Urchin. The drama follows Mike, a homeless man in London who’s fighting to escape a dangerous cycle of self-destruction and rebuild his life. This project sounds intense and deeply personal, exploring tough themes about survival and hope.
And then there’s Kristen Stewart, who’s shifting gears from acting to directing with The Chronology of Water. This romantic drama stars Imogen Poots and is based on the memoir of Olympic swimmer Lidia Yuknavitch. The film tells the story of Lidia’s escape from an abusive home through a Texas scholarship, her battle with addiction, and how she eventually finds healing through writing, family, and self-discovery.
Each film has its own unique flavor: Johansson’s explores an unlikely friendship bridging generations, Dickinson’s dives into the struggles of one man facing tough realities, and Stewart’s promises a powerful true story of resilience and growth.
So, if you had to choose just one to watch, which one would you pick? Cast your vote below!