La Fabrique Cinéma: Where Vulnerability Meets Vision at Cannes 2025

Filmmaking is more than storytelling. It is a quiet act of rebellion — a courageous offering where the filmmaker risks being seen, misunderstood, or, perhaps, finally understood.

La Fabrique Cinéma, known as The Cinema Factory, is where these fearless visions are nurtured, mentored, and propelled toward the world.

Now in its 17th edition, La Fabrique Cinéma de l’Institut français continues to be a launchpad for rising filmmakers. Each year, it provides mentorship, visibility, and global market access to talent whose stories demand to be heard.

In 2025, the program spotlighted ten exceptional projects from Africa, Asia, Latin America, and the Middle East — tackling themes of exile, identity, migration, territory, and belonging.

Meet the 2025 Projects

Brazil

Infantry by Laís Santos Araújo, produced by Pedro Krull (Aguda Cinema) — 1st feature film

Cambodia

To Leave, To Stay by Danech San, produced by Daniel Mattes (Anti-Archive) — 1st feature

Cape Verde

The Flowers Of The Dead by Nuno Miranda, produced by Pedro Soulé (KS Cinema) — 1st feature (historic debut for Cape Verde)

Iran

Mellow Pink by Baran Sarmad, produced by Milad Khosravi (Seven Springs Pictures) — 1st feature

Kyrgyzstan

Jaysan by Aisha Sultanbekova, produced by Saltanat Imankulova (Koyon Media) — 1st feature (first time representing Kyrgyzstan)

Mexico

What Follows Is My Death by Laura Baumeister, produced by Cecilia Salim (Catatonia) — 2nd feature

Peru

The Scent Of Walls by Carlos Ormeño Palma, produced by Marco Moscoso (La Fiebre Films) — 1st feature

Senegal

Vaisseau fantôme by Moïse Togo, produced by Katy Lena Ndiaye (IndigoMood Films) — 1st feature

Palestinian Territories

The Passport by Rakan Mayasi, produced by May Odeh (Mayana Films) — 1st feature

Tunisia

Le Temps de l’errance by Rim Nakhli, produced by Ramses Mahfoudh (Godolphin Films) — 1st feature

Out of these ten projects, nine are fiction features and one is a documentary — with six directed by women and four by men. Ten producers across these works continue to break boundaries of gender, geography, and genre.

This year marks the first time Cape Verde and Kyrgyzstan have been included in La Fabrique’s prestigious lineup — a sign of how far the initiative has expanded its reach.

Since its creation in 2009, La Fabrique Cinéma has supported over 160 projects from 67 countries, with about 30% coming from Africa alone. Many alumni are now celebrated filmmakers, returning to Cannes as global storytellers.

At this year’s festival, La Fabrique alumni shone once again:

• Ali by Adnan Al Rajeev earned a special mention in the Short Film category
  
  
• Once Upon a Time in Gaza by Ahmed and Mohammed Abunasser won Best Directing in the Un Certain Regard category
  
  

As Cannes 2025 unfolds its red carpets, La Fabrique Cinéma stands as a reminder that cinema is still bigger than spectacle alone. It is a place where courageous stories survive, thrive, and reshape culture itself.

La Fabrique is not just about projects — it is about possibilities.