64th annual Cannes Film Festival opened with Woody Allen’s new film

 May 12, 2011 - 17:03 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net - The 64th annual Cannes Film Festival has opened on the French Riviera, with the premiere of the new film by the American director Woody Allen, Midnight in Paris.

The gathered crowds and press were treated to a parade of stars on the red carpet, including Uma Thurman, Salma Hayek, Antonio Banderas, and the 2011 jury president, Robert De Niro, according to BBC.

European favorites Pedro Almodovar and Lars Von Trier face stiff competition for this year's coveted Palme d'Or prize for best film – notably from early bookies favorite Terrence Malick, whose film The Tree of Life is his first entrant in the main competition for five years, The Telegraph reported.

Four women directors are also up for the Palme d'Or, including Scotland's Lynne Ramsay (We Need to Talk About Kevin) and Japan's Naomi Kawase (Hanezu No Tsuki), who came runner up for the Grand Prix award in 2007 (for The Mourning Forest).

2011 has been billed as a return to form for the glitz and glamour of Cannes, after festival general delegate Thierry Fremaux had been criticized in recent years for a supposed lack of star attractions. He said he was confident that this would not be the case for Cannes 2011: "There is a very strong buzz and great expectations. America is very present this year. The studios are back – professionals, agents. They are everywhere in the hotels."