21/05/2025 - CANNES 2025: The feature debut by Thailand’s Ratchapoom Boonbunchachoke’s has won the Grand Prize; other gongs have gone to Déni Oumar Pitsaev’s Imago and Canada’s Théodore Pellerin in Nino

Chaired by Spanish filmmaker Rodrigo Sorogoyen, the jury of the 64th Critics’ Week, part of the 78th Cannes Film Festival, has handed the 2025 Grand Prize to A Useful Ghost [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile] by Thai helmer Ratchapoom Boonbunchachoke. This feature debut, written by the director himself, highlights an exceptional talent who has made a highly original, very funny, subtle, inventive, smart and masterfully directed film. Produced by Thailand (185 Films), and co-produced by France (Haut Les Mains Productions), Singapore (Momo Film) and Germany (Mayana Films), the movie is being sold abroad by Best Friend Forever.

The French Touch Jury Prize went to the documentary Imago [+see also:
film review
film profile] by Chechen director Déni Oumar Pitsaev, staged by France (Triptyque Films) and co-produced by Belgium (Need Productions), and sold by Chinese outfit Rediance.

Serving to single out an actor or actress, the Rising Star Award was bestowed upon Canada’s Théodore Pellerin for his turn in Nino [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Pauline Loquès
film profile] by France’s Pauline Loquès. Produced by Blue Monday Productions and co-produced by France 2 Cinéma, this feature debut is being sold overseas by The Party Film Sales.

Finally, of note among the awards handed out by the Critics’ Week partners, the Gan Foundation Award for Distribution was scooped by Le Pacte, the French distributor of Left-Handed Girl by Shih-Ching Tsou, while the SACD Award smiled upon Spanish duo Guillermo Galoe and Victor Alonso-Berbel, the writers of Sleepless City [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Guillermo Galoe
film profile] (directed by the former).

Here is the full list of winners:

Ami Paris Grand Prize
A Useful Ghost [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile] - Ratchapoom Boonbunchachoke (Thailand/France/Singapore/Germany)

French Touch Jury Prize
Imago [+see also:
film review
film profile] - Déni Oumar Pitsaev (France/Belgium)

Louis Roederer Foundation Rising Star Award
Théodore Pellerin - Nino [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Pauline Loquès
film profile] (France)

Leitz Cine Discovery Award for Short Film
L’mina – Randa Maroufi (Morocco/France/Italy)

Other awards

Gan Foundation Award for Distribution
Le Pacte, French distributor of Left-Handed Girl - Shih-Ching Tsou (Taiwan/France/USA/UK)

SACD Award
Guillermo Galoe, Victor Alonso-Berbel – writers of Sleepless City [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Guillermo Galoe
film profile] (Spain/France)

Canal+ Award for Short Film
Erogenesis – Xandra Popecu (Germany)

(Translated from French)