Mira Nair at Cannes: Where cinema meets social change

Acclaimed filmmaker Mira Nair has been named the guest of honour at the Better World Fund’s 2025 programme at the 2025 Cannes Film Festival, where India is celebrated as the “Country of Honour.”

The two-day event—held on May 20 and 21—brings together artists, philanthropists, and global leaders to spotlight causes, including gender equality, climate action, children’s rights, access to education, and cultural preservation.

From Salaam Bombay! to global advocacy

Nair’s selection as the guest of honour reflects her long-standing legacy at the intersection of cinema and social change. In 1988, her debut feature, Salaam Bombay!, broke ground for having non-professional child actors and its raw portrayal of street-connected children in Mumbai.

The film won the prestigious Camera d’Or at Cannes in 1988—making her the first Indian filmmaker to achieve so—and also grabbed an Academy Award nomination for Best Foreign Language Film in 1989.

The film’s impact led to the founding of Salaam Baalak Trust later that year, with Nair’s mother, Praveen Nair, as its founder trustee. The NGO has grown into a cornerstone of child protection, offering shelter, education, and healthcare to thousands of street and working children in India.

Now, the Better World Fund has pledged its support for the trust as part of its Cannes programme. In an Instagram post, the Fund stated: “Together, we’ll support the charity Salaam Baalak Trust Delhi, dedicated to aiding street children in India.”

Better World Fund: Art for impact

Since its inception in 2016, the Better World Fund has carved a space within the world’s most prestigious film festivals—including Cannes, Venice, and Los Angeles—promoting global causes.

With the motto “Art for Impact,” the fund leverages cinema’s influence to drive humanitarian action. Last year, French actress Juliette Binoche was the guest of honour.

Announcing India as the Country of Honour, the organisation said, “India will take centre stage, highlighting its fascinating culture, its cinema, and its values of unity and peace, which resonate deeply with our mission.”

Manuel Collas de La Roche, Founder and President of Better World Fund, wrote on the organisation’s website: “The better world to which we all aspire is now within our reach. Deeply humanitarian, I am convinced that together we can move mountains by providing concrete solutions to tomorrow’s challenges.”

Recognising Mira’s dual legacy as filmmaker and changemaker, Salaam Baalak Trust wrote on Instagram: “Mira Nair has never seen storytelling as separate from the world it reflects. At @festivaldecannes, she is recognised by the @betterworldfund_ not just for cinematic brilliance but for transforming art into lifelong advocacy.”

Beyond her first feature, Nair’s filmography spans global stories rooted in identity, migration, and resilience—from Monsoon Wedding (2001) and The Namesake (2006) to Queen of Katwe (2016).

In 1990, Nair returned to Cannes as a member of the main competition jury, becoming one of the few Indian filmmakers to serve in that role.