Paris, France – The Cannes Film Festival, one of the world’s most prominent cinematic events, kicks off today, Tuesday. The 79th edition of the festival begins and runs until the 23rd of this month, amidst a large gathering of film stars and filmmakers from around the world.
Opening of the 79th session
The festival opens tonight with the world premiere of the French film The Electric Kiss by director Pierre Salvadori, a move that confirms the festival’s continued support for European works of a sophisticated artistic and comedic nature.
Strong competition for the Palme d’Or
This year’s festival features fierce competition among 22 films vying for the Palme d’Or, most notably James Gray’s *Paper Tiger*, starring Scarlett Johansson, Adam Driver, and Miles Teller. Also in contention is Paweł Pawlikowski’s *Homeland*, starring Sandra Höller and Hans Ziechler.
An international jury
The festival’s jury is headed by South Korean director Park Chan-wook, who previously starred at Cannes with Oldboy and recently directed Decision to Leave. The nine-member jury will select the winner of the Palme d’Or. The jury includes several prominent figures in world cinema, including American actress Demi Moore, Chinese director Chloé Zhao (director of Hamnet), and Swedish actor Stellan Skarsgård.
