Julien Colonna
New faces of French cinema 2025 – Julien Colonna
Meet the new faces of French cinema. Unifrance’s 10 to watch were selected by international journalists after making a name for themselves at major festivals in 2024 before breaking out on screens around the world in 2025.
Julien Colonna is a filmmaker and photographer. After studying screenwriting, he went on to make several short films including Confession, shot in the slums of Bangkok, earned him a slew of awards at more than thirty international festivals. In 2017, his first screenplay, Equinoxes, received the Télérama Prix Sopadin. His first feature film, The Kingdom, shot entirely in Corsica with mostly non-professional actors, was selected for Competition in Un Certain Regard at the Cannes Film Festival 2024. The film has continued screening at a number of international festivals (AFI FEST, Chicago, Austin, Montreal, Zürich, Sitges, etc.) and has earned its lead actress Ghjuvanna Benedetti a Lumière Award for Most Promising Actress. It will be released in the United States later this year.
«Climbing the red carpet steps and receiving that unforgettable standing ovation in Cannes was truly exceptional. There’s only one first time.»
What – or who – inspired you to become a director?
Julien Colonna:
The film that was my first cinematographic shock was Alex Proyas’ The Crow starring Brandon Lee. I was fascinated by the film both for its subject matter – namely revenge – and the legend of Brandon Lee who died when making the film. Jean-Jacques Annaud’s The Bear and Marcel Pagnol’s My Father’s Glory and My Mother’s Castle also inspired me.
What is your best Cannes memory?
Julien Colonna:
I first came around 15 years ago. Sean Penn was the president of the jury. I remember being at a wild party in a villa with Brad Pitt, Sean Penn, and Paul Dano. But the best moment would have to be last year with The Kingdom and being there with the full cast and team, experiencing this incredible moment together, climbing the red carpet steps, getting the standing ovation we were lucky to have. It was exceptional. There’s only one first time.
Speaking of which, any advice for a Cannes first-timer?
Julien Colonna:
Bring throat lozenges.
What films do you want to see in Cannes this year?
Julien Colonna:
Oliver Laxe’s Sirat, Harry Lighton’s Pillion, Jafar Panahi’s It Was Just An Accident, and Rebecca Zlotowski’s Vie Privée.
What is your favorite spot to have fun in Cannes?
Julien Colonna:
Anywhere – it depends on the people around you.
What is your favorite film of all time?
Julien Colonna:
Claude Sautet’s Les choses de la Vie, Paul Thomas Anderson’s Magnolia, and Charles Laughton’s The Night Of The Hunter.
If you could have dinner in Cannes with anyone in the industry – dead or alive – who would be at the table?
Julien Colonna:
Cate Blanchett, Mark Ruffalo.
What are you working on next ?
Julien Colonna:
I’m busy working on my next feature film and a series. My feature will be international – I’m leaving Corsica for now… but I’ll be back.
Interview by Rebecca Leffler
Photos by Ludovica Arcero
