Huma Qureshi meets Oscar winner Rami Malek at Cannes 2025 event
Synopsis
Huma Qureshi's Cannes moment wasn't on the red carpet — it was at a Red Sea Film Foundation gathering that quietly brought together Demi Moore, Chloé Zhao, Rami Malek, and some of global cinema's most compelling female voices. The 'Women in Cinema' platform is fast becoming the festival's most watched off-competition space for Indian talent.
Key Takeaways
Huma Qureshi was photographed with Rami Malek at the 79th Cannes Film Festival , which began on 12 May 2025 .
The encounter took place at the Red Sea Film Foundation's 'Women in Cinema' event on the festival's sidelines.
Tara Sutaria was also present, pictured alongside Nigerian actress Genevieve Nnaji .
Rami Malek won the Academy Award for Best Actor in 2019 for portraying Freddie Mercury in Bohemian Rhapsody .
Qureshi is set to appear in Toxic: A Fairytale for Grown-Ups , directed by Geetu Mohandas and starring Yash .
Bollywood actress Huma Qureshi made headlines at the 79th Cannes Film Festival after being photographed alongside Oscar-winning actor Rami Malek at a marquee off-programme gathering on the French Riviera. The festival commenced on 12 May 2025, and the encounter took place on the sidelines of the prestigious event.
The 'Women in Cinema' Gathering
The photograph emerged from the official Instagram handle of the Red Sea Film Foundation, which hosted a special segment titled 'Women in Cinema' — a celebration of female contributions to global filmmaking. Qureshi re-shared the image, which showed her and Malek smiling together for the camera.
The Foundation's caption confirmed the occasion: 'On the sidelines of the 79th Cannes Film Festival, we were pleased to host Women in Cinema celebrating women's cinematic contributions.'
Among those honoured at the event were Aixa Kay, Tara Sutaria, Laïla Marrakchi, Genevieve Nnaji, Marie-Clémentine Dusabejambo, and Kamila Andini. Notably, actress Tara Sutaria was also pictured at the event alongside Nigerian actress Genevieve Nnaji. Other prominent attendees included Demi Moore, Chloé Zhao, Sara Sampaio, and Lucas Bravo, among others.
Who Is Rami Malek
Rami Malek is an American actor of Egyptian heritage who rose to global prominence portraying Queen frontman Freddie Mercury in the 2018 biographical film Bohemian Rhapsody. His performance earned him the Academy Award for Best Actor at the 2019 Oscars, making him the first actor of Egyptian descent to win in that category.
Malek's filmography spans television and cinema, including The Pacific, the Night at the Museum trilogy, No Time to Die, Oppenheimer, The Little Things, and most recently The Amateur and Nuremberg.
What Huma Qureshi Is Working On
On the professional front, Qureshi is gearing up for the release of Toxic: A Fairytale for Grown-Ups, starring alongside Yash, Nayanthara, Kiara Advani, Rukmini Vasanth, and Akshay Oberoi. In the film, she essays the role of Elizabeth.
Written by Yash and directed by Geetu Mohandas, the multilingual production has been shot simultaneously in Kannada and English, with dubbed versions planned in Hindi, Tamil, Telugu, and Malayalam. The project marks one of the most ambitious pan-India releases on the horizon.
India's Growing Cannes Footprint
This is the latest instance of Indian talent making a visible mark at Cannes beyond the official competition — a trend that has accelerated in recent years through brand partnerships, foundation events, and co-production forums. The Red Sea Film Foundation's 'Women in Cinema' platform, in particular, has become a recurring bridge between South Asian and Middle Eastern film industries at the festival.
Point of View
Not just couture. Qureshi's presence alongside Malek, Moore, and Zhao signals that the Red Sea Film Foundation is positioning itself as a serious bridge between South Asian, Arab, and Western cinema. What's worth tracking is whether these Cannes adjacencies translate into actual co-productions or remain aspirational photo opportunities.
NationPress
30 Jun 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Where did Huma Qureshi meet Rami Malek at Cannes 2025?
They were photographed together at the Red Sea Film Foundation's 'Women in Cinema' event held on the sidelines of the 79th Cannes Film Festival, which began on 12 May 2025. The Foundation shared the image on its official Instagram handle.
What is the Red Sea Film Foundation's 'Women in Cinema' event?
It is a platform hosted by the Red Sea Film Foundation that celebrates women's contributions to global cinema. At Cannes 2025, honourees included Tara Sutaria, Genevieve Nnaji, Laïla Marrakchi, and others, with attendees including Demi Moore, Chloé Zhao, and Rami Malek.
What is Huma Qureshi's next film?
Huma Qureshi is set to appear in Toxic: A Fairytale for Grown-Ups, starring alongside Yash, Nayanthara, and Kiara Advani. She plays the role of Elizabeth in the film, which is directed by Geetu Mohandas and shot in Kannada and English with dubbed versions in multiple languages.
Which other Indian celebrities attended the Cannes 2025 sideline event?
Tara Sutaria was among the honourees at the Red Sea Film Foundation's 'Women in Cinema' segment at Cannes 2025. She was photographed alongside Nigerian actress Genevieve Nnaji at the same gathering.
