The Cannes Film Festival returns today in what is the first fully fledged film festival since the advent of the coronavirus pandemic in early 2020, APA reports citing Daily Mail.
This is the 74th edition of the Cannes Film Festival after last year's edition was cancelled amid coronavirus. US director Spike Lee heads the jury - the first black man ever to do so. 24 films are in the running to win the prestigious 'Palme d'Or'. Stars will be able to attend mask-less provided they have a valid health pass.
Last year's edition was cancelled over the health crisis and many of the glitzy after-parties that are the festival's calling card have been postponed because of distancing measures.
But stars will be allowed to go mask-less on the red carpet this year provided they have a health pass.
The carpet itself will be half the volume - and made from recycled materials - as part of the festival's bid to be 'green'. Each festival-goer is also expected to contribute €20 to go towards offsetting their carbon footprint.
Members of the jury - headed for the first time by a black man, US director Spike Lee - arrived last night and will give their traditional press conference today, before embarking on their 24-film marathon.
'Covid is still there, but being here for the return of the festival, in the opening film... it's a huge sense of relief and excitement,' US actor Adam Driver told AFP.
Driver co-stars with French actor Marion Cotillard in the opening night film, 'Annette', a musical directed by cult favourite Leos Carax.
The festival palace - a squat, concrete construction dubbed 'the bunker' - is draped in a poster featuring Lee, in oversize spectacles, peering between two palm trees.
His jury this year has a female majority, including US actor Maggie Gyllenhaal, Canadian-French singer Mylene Farmer and French-Senegalese actor Mati Diop.
Other members include Tahar Rahim, star of 2009 film 'A Prophet', and South Korean actor Song Kang-ho, who dazzled in the festival's last winner two years ago, 'Parasite'.
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