The film sparked debate at Cannes Film Festival, leaving some attendees walking out.

This year's <a href="https://www.lofficielusa.com/tags/cannes">Cannes Film Festival</a> has been a place for political expression, and some of it has grown divisive among guests. Ari Aster, behind Hereditary (2018) and Midsommer (2019), directed the new <a href="https://www.lofficielusa.com/tags/movie">film</a> Eddington, starring <a href="https://www.lofficielusa.com/tags/pedro-pascal">Pedro Pascal</a> and Joaquin Phoenix, which stirred the pot (among others) that premiered at the prestigious event.&nbsp;
The film was so <a href="https://www.lofficielusa.com/tags/controversy">controversial</a> that at least 20 people were reported to have walked out during the film. Why was it so divisive? The film is set in Eddington, New Mexico, during the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic that upended the world, leaving devastation in its wake. Phoenix stars as Joe Cross, the town's sheriff, and Pascal as Ted Garcia, the town's mayor, who represent two different ends of the political spectrum during that time. Cross represents the conservative beliefs during that time as he opposes the mask policies and is anti-vax, while Garcia is pro-mask and simply takes COVID-19 seriously. Cross and Garcia are political opponents, running against each other in the mayoral elections.&nbsp;
According to <a href="https://variety.com/2025/film/reviews/eddington-review-joaquin-phoenix-pedro-pascal-ari-aster-1236400006/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reporting</a> by Variety, Aster, through the film, asks audiences to identify with Phoenix's character, which doesn't sit right for some. The director also addresses George Floyd's murder and the Black Lives Matter Movement that followed in the wake of his death, which advocated for holding police officers accountable for their unacceptable and senseless brutality. The film portrays a small movement by anti-racist youth in Eddington, which has left those attending the Cannes Festival questioning how Aster meant to portray the movement altogether.
"The film is unambiguous about portraying them as a pack of deluded narcissists whose conception of themselves exemplifies the very privilege they&rsquo;re out to overthrow," Owen Gleiberman said in his review for&nbsp;Variety. "Aster isn&rsquo;t merely mocking them; his real point is that moralistic self-righteousness has become a kind of addiction in America."

Austin Butler, Emma Stone, and Pedro Pascal at Cannes Film Festival 2025. Getty Images

The American filmmaker himself has declared the film is meant to feel ambiguous as it doesn't adopt one political ideology, but rather it's a camera placed on the country that pans out far enough to see all viewpoints, very much reflecting the state of the country and world now. It reflects on a time that arguably changed the course of humanity and how we as a collective view one another, and how political ideology plays into that perspective. He explores complex issues that have taken precedent in America, like conspiracy theories, social media, and how this has shaped the shift into authoritarian politics.&nbsp;
During a press conference, the director discussed his intention for the film and how he wants the audience to approach it: "What the film is about, for me, is about what happens when people who are so isolated and are living in their own realities&mdash;what happens when they come into conflict with each other, Aster said. "When you start bumping up against each other, a new logic is created, and out of that, people start amplifying each other's fears."
Joining Phoenix and Pascal are <a href="https://www.lofficielusa.com/beauty/emma-stone-short-pixie-cut-trend" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Emma Stone</a>, <a href="https://www.lofficielusa.com/beauty/emma-stone-short-pixie-cut-trend" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Austin Butler</a>, Luke Grimes, William Belleau, Clifton Collins Jr., Cameron Mann, Deirdre O'Connell, Matt Gomez Hidaka, Kaleb Naquin, and Am&eacute;lie Hoeferle.&nbsp;
Aster discussed his writing process for the film and how he was in a mental state of fear and anxiety, encapsulating how people felt and continue to feel now. He also touched on this road of hyper-individualism that people seem to be on now, that permits empathy to be forgone. This mentality has threatened democracy and the foundation of what it means to be human, he hints.
IndieWire's Ryan Lattanzio took the time to talk to people attending the film festival, and some of those <a href="https://www.indiewire.com/news/festivals/eddington-divides-cannes-pedro-pascal-ari-aster-1235124238/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">individuals</a> appeared to have walked out of the film featuring a 2020 event-overload. He wrote, "Eddington could be a tough sell for audiences unwilling to be submersed again in summer 2020 and all the chaos and anxieties it erupted. Other pundits I&rsquo;ve spoken to defend Eddington as a necessary social satire that mocks and derides the panic of that year, while encapsulating it all into one movie as never before."&nbsp;
Eddington, the 2025 film by Ari Aster starring Pascal and Phoenix,&nbsp;is set for a theatrical release on July 18.&nbsp;

Why 'Eddington,' Starring Pedro Pascal, Is Causing Controversy at Cannes

Tags

Related Articles

Film & TV

Yes, Joel Comes Back in 'The Last of Us' Season 2. Here's What to Know

Film & TV

Everything to Know About the 2025 Cannes Film Festival

Film & TV

Did 'The Last of Us' Really Kill Off Joel, Pedro Pascal's Character?

Recommended posts for you

Pop culture

See 10 Photos of a Young Callum Turner, Before He Proposed to Dua Lipa

Beauty

The 12 Best Luxury Fragrances to Wear This Summer Are Sultry and Seductive

Music

Ravyn Lenae Keeps Going Higher

Pop culture

A Complete Timeline of Callum Turner and Dua Lipa's Relationship

Beauty

9 Chrome Nail Designs Ideas for Summer 2025

Fashion

See All the Fashion Campaigns for Summer, Fall/Winter 2025

Shopping

15 Keychains to Easily Up Your Fashion Game

Men's

Zegna's Spring/Summer 2026 Show in Dubai Flaunts Edgy Layering and Pops of Chartreuse