'The Tree of Life' garners top prize at 2011 Cannes film festival  cnn.com 23 May 11 “The Tree of Life,” an American film helmed by director Terrence Malick and starring Brad Pitt, took home the top prize Sunday at the Cannes film festival. Other big winners included Kirsten Dunst as best actress for her role as one of two sisters battling depression ahead of the world's end in "Melancholia," and Jean Dujardin as best actor for his portrayal of silent movie star George Valentin in the French film “The Artist.” Nicolas Winding Refn, from Denmark, was named best director after overseeing "The Drive," about the life of a Hollywood stunt driver played by Ryan Gosling. The best screenplay went to Joseph Cedar for the father-son focused drama “Hearat Shulayim.”

Video Stars descend on French Riviera for Cannes film festival  AFP 11 May 11 The 64th edition of the Cannes film festival gets underway today. Woody Allen's latest romantic comedy "Midnight in Paris" opens the 11-day event on the French Riviera at a black-tie evening screening. Billed by organisers as "a love letter" to the French capital, it stars Owen Wilson, Kathy Bates and Marion Cotillard, but all eyes have been on French first lady Carla Bruni-Sarkozy, cast by Allen in a bit part as a museum curator. However the supermodel-turned-singer has said that she is skipping the screening for "personal and professional reasons" -- only stirring rumours that she is pregnant with President Nicolas Sarkozy's child. Italian cinema legend Bernardo Bertolucci, whose classics include "Last Tango in Paris" and "The Last Emperor," will be presented Wednesday with an honorary Palme d'Or for his life's work. A rich galaxy of film stars is converging on Cannes, with the likes of Johnny Depp and Penelope Cruz -- appearing in the 3-D adventure caper "Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides". Twenty pictures, including fresh work from Spain's Pedro Almodovar, Denmark's Lars Von Trier and Belgium's Dardenne brothers, are up for the highly coveted Palme d'Or this year. Robert MacPherson.

Video Dying Princess Diana Photo Shown in New Documentary at Cannes Film Festival  abcnews.go.com 11 May 11 A documentary film about the death of Princess Diana won't be shown in Great Britain because a photo in the movie shows the princess just moments before she died in the wreckage of a Paris car crash. The grim pictures have angered many Brits, still aglow over the royal wedding of her oldest son Prince William, and the movie's director claims that British lawyers have insisted those pictures be cut out before it can be shown in the country. The film, "Unlawful Killing," will premiere at the Cannes Film Festival this week. The 90 minute film was financed in part by Mohamed al Fayed, father of Diana's lover, Dodi Fayed, who also died in the 1997 crash. Keith Allen, the film's director, called the film an "inquest of the inquest" into the death of Diana in an interview with the Guardian.  Jessica Hopper.

Lady Gaga to launch Cannes Film Festival  contactmusic.com 10 May 11 Lady Gaga will help kick off the festivities at the Cannes Film Festival in France on Wednesday (11 May 11) by playing an exclusive concert for the A-list crowd. The pop superstar is in the country to promote her upcoming album Born This Way and she will make a stop in Cannes on the opening day of the famous movie event to perform for guests. Gaga will take over a stage on the famous Boulevard de la Croisette for a special show, which will be broadcast on Le Grand Journal TV show, according to the Hollywood Reporter. Kanye West is also expected to perform during the festival next week.

Lights, Camera, Cannes  francetoday.com 04 May 11 As a long-time Cannes Festival-goer and reporter, I've experienced my share of glittery evenings, dancing until dawn on moonlit beaches next to champagne-swilling stars, and then interviewing them, bleary-eyed, the following morning. Sometimes the encounters are serendipitous: once, in the lobby of the Hôtel Carlton, a mad rush of Monica Belluci-chasing paparazzi pushed me straight into the arms of director Alan Parker. But stargazing is not really what the Cannes Festival is all about. Few visitors realize that the general public can share in an often enthralling selection of films by attending one of the "parallel" festivals organized in addition to the official competition called La Quinzaine des Réalisateurs, the Director's Fortnight.  Lanie Goodman.

Stella’s new star headed to Cannes  msn.com 21 Apr 11 Stella Artois has always taken more than just a passing interest in film. You’ve seen the Film Four ads. Now they’re making their own movie which will debut at Cannes. They’ve scoured the globe looking for someone to play Jacques d’Azur, the legendary (and fictitious) ‘King of Cannes,’ character from their latest ads in a biographical film about his life. They’ve found their guy and here he is - Gustavo Alvarez from Buenos Aires, Argentina. In addition to playing the leading role in the film, set to tape in Uruguay at the end of April, Gustavo will also attend the prestigious Cannes Film Festival, to premiere the film at an exclusive Stella Artois event. Ed Holden.

Hollywood stars hit the French Riviera  theautralian.com.au 20 Apr 11 The French Riviera is gearing up for a Hollywood invasion with Robert De Niro, Johnny Depp, Mel Gibson, Jodie Foster, Brad Pitt, Kirsten Dunst, Penelope Cruz and Woody Allen to attend next month's Cannes film festival. Yet in time-honoured Cannes fashion only two of them, Pitt and Dunst, are actually going to be competing for a prize at the world's most highly regarded film festival. The lineup of 19 contenders for the Palme d'Or is brimming with heavyweight arthouse names such as directors Terrence Malick, Pedro Almodovar, Lars Von Trier and actors Tilda Swinton, Antonio Banderas and Charlotte Gainsbourg. A solitary British director, Lynne Ramsay, will try to put right what many critics saw as a surprising snub last year when two strongly fancied British films by Cannes veterans Mike Leigh and Ken Loach returned from the festival empty-handed. Ben Hoyle.

Cannes Film Festival -The jury is in  france24.com 19 Apr 11 We already knew that Robert De Niro would be heading the jury at Cannes this year Now we know who he’ll be presiding over: British actor and heartthrob Jude Law, best known for playing seductive cads in “The Talented Mr. Ripley” and “Closer”, who will likely draw throngs of screaming female fans to the already electric red carpet. American actress and Quentin Tarantino muse Uma Thurman, who danced with John Travolta in “Pulp Fiction”, decapitated many in “Kill Bill”, and adds an extra shot of Hollywood style to the mix. Argentinian actress Martina Gusman, who appeared on Cannes screens in last year’s “Carancho” and 2008’s in-competition prison drama “Leonera”. Jon Frosch.

Films Running for Cannes Festival Top Prize  abcnews.go.com 14 Apr 11 Here is the list of the 19 films in competition for the top prize at this year's Cannes Film Festival, the Palme d'Or. The festival runs May 11-22 on the French Riviera. Dozens of other films are also showing out of competition, or in competition for other prizes.

Bertolucci to receive Cannes award  abc.net.au 12 Apr 11 Italian cinema legend Bernardo Bertolucci, whose classics include Last Tango in Paris and The Last Emperor, is to receive an honorary Palme d'Or at Cannes. The award has previously been presented on an ad hoc basis to movie directors such as Woody Allen or Clint Eastwood but will now become an annual event, with Bertolucci the first recipient. The 71-year-old's films also include The Conformist, The Sheltering Sky and Before the Revolution. The festival on the French Riviera opens on May 11 with actor and director Robert De Niro presiding over the jury that will pick its most coveted Palme d'Or award. The list of the competing films will be unveiled in Paris on Thursday.

Bong Joon-ho to head Cannes debut film maker panel  bbc.co.uk 08 Apr 11 South Korean director Bong Joon-ho will preside over the jury of the Camera d'Or prize for the best first-time filmmaker at the Cannes film festival. Bong 's film credits include Barking Dog (2000) and Memories of Murder (2004), but he is best known for his 2006 horror movie The Host. His 2009 drama Mother premiered at Cannes, in the Un Certain Regard competition. Last year's Camera d'Or went to Michael Rowe's Leap Year. In 2008, the award was won by British filmmaker Steve McQueen for his debut film Hunger. Taxi Driver star Robert De Niro will head this year's Palme d'Or jury. The festival on the French Riviera will run from 11 to 22 May.

Faye Dunaway illuminates the poster for the 64th Festival de Cannes  aufaitmaroc.com 04 Apr 11 The organisers of the Festival de Cannes unveiled the poster for its 64th edition on Monday. U.S. actress Faye Dunaway is featured from a 1970 photo by filmmaker Jerry Schatzberg, from the movie Puzzle of a Downfall Child. The restored version of the movie will be screened at the event to be held from 11-22 May 11. The actor-director Robert De Niro will chair the jury. Woody Allen will open the festivities with a screening out of competition for his new romantic comedy Midnight in Paris starring Owen Wilson, Rachel McAdams and Marion Cotillard.

French ‘New Wave’ film icon Jean-Paul Belmondo to be honored at Cannes  washingtonpost.com 30 Mar 11 The Cannes Film Festival says it will hold a special tribute this year for Jean-Paul Belmondo, the one-time bad-boy of French New Wave cinema. The 77-year-old actor will attend the May 17 premiere of a documentary by Vincent Perrot and Jeff Domenech — “Belmondo, The Career” — followed by a dinner and party. Belmondo’s breakthrough role came in Jean-Luc Godard’s 1959 film “Breathless,” in which he played a debonaire young crook fleeing the police. He went on to become one of France’s most popular leading actors, starring in dozens of films and plays. The festival runs May 11-22 on the French Riviera. AFP.

Director Kusturica to head jury for Cannes' Un Certain Regard competition  AP 26 Mar 11 Serbian director Emir Kusturica will head the jury of this year's competition called "Un Certain Regard" at the Cannes Film Festival. Sarajevo-born director of Palme d'Or prize winners "When Father was Away on Business" and "Underground" will head the jury for the secondary competition, created in 1978 to promote films esthetics and originality of their ideas. Kusturica won Cannes' top prize twice, in 1985 and 1995. This year's Cannes Film Festival runs May 11-22 festival on the French Riviera.

Stella Artois launches competition to star in film to premiere at Cannes Film Festival  film-news.co.uk 15 Mar 11 Stella Artois is launching the ultimate film fan’s competition offering would-be stars the chance to play Jacques d’Azur, the legendary ‘King Of Cannes’, in the highly anticipated biopic of his life. In addition to playing the leading role in the film, the lucky winner will also attend the prestigious Cannes Film Festival where the movie will premiere, and will receive movie star treatment throughout their trip. Following Jacques d’Azur’s mysterious disappearance in 2010, Stella Artois launched a search for his rightful heir who was treated to Jacques’ week at the Cannes Film Festival. Visit www.stellaartois.com for details and to apply.

France's Gondry to lead Cannes short film jury  yahoo.com 22 Feb 11 The Cannes Film Festival says inventive French director Michel Gondry will lead the jury of its short film competition. The "Green Hornet" director is the latest in a long line of prestigious directors to preside over the jury, including Martin Scorsese and Atom Egoyan. Gondry has won considerable critical acclaim for his seven feature films, which include 2004's "Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind" and 2006's "The Science of Sleep." He's also made several shorts and dozens of music videos. The 64th edition of the prestigious French Riviera festival runs May 11-22. U.S. actor Robert De Niro will lead the jury for the main competition, and Woody Allen's new "Midnight in Paris" will open the festival. AP.

Woody Allen, Carla Bruni film to open Cannes  nationalpost.com 02 Feb 11 U.S. director Woody Allen’s latest film Midnight in Paris — featuring French first lady Carla Bruni-Sarkozy — will open the Cannes film festival in May. The romantic comedy, shot last year in the French capital and starring Owen Wilson and Marion Cotillard as well as Kathy Bates and Adrien Brody, will be shown out of competition at the world’s most prestigious film bash. “Midnight in Paris is a wonderful love letter to Paris,” said festival director Thierry Fremaux. “It’s a film in which Woody Allen takes a deeper look at the issues raised in his last films: our relationship with history, art, pleasure and life.” AFP.

Robert De Niro to lead Cannes Film Festival jury  AFP 06 Jan 11 US actor Robert De Niro will be jury president of this year's 64th Cannes Film Festival, which opens May 11 and runs until May 22 on the French Riviera, organisers announced Thursday. "The Cannes Film Festival is a rare opportunity for me as it is one of the oldest and one of the best in the world," the 67-year-old Oscar-winner said in a festival statement. Two of his films have won the coveted Palme d'Or at previous Cannes festivals: Martin Scorsese's "Taxi Driver" in 1976, and 10 years later, "The Mission" directed by Roland Joffe. Actor Tim Burton presided over last years jury.

63rd Cannes Film Festival 2010 Archive

Check out the news from the 63rd Cannes Film Festival 2010 where the jury was headed by Tim Burton. The festival was opened by Ridley Scott's latest epic Robin Hood. The festival was preceeded by two mishaps. The world's press threatened to boycott the event over restricted access to the press conferences, and a massive storm saw many beach restaurants and the Croisette badly damaged. Jean Luc Godard, Woody Allen and Oliver Stone premiered anticipated movies. Critics were divided over the winning movie  by Thai director Apichatpong Weerasethakul.

62nd Cannes Film Festival 2009 Archive

Check out all the news, reviews,trailers and pics from the 62nd Cannes Film Festival 2009. A classic year with the debut of Terry Gilliam's new movie, The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus, the last movie to star the late Heath Ledger (pictured.) A year of controversy with Lars Von Trier's movie Antichrist starring Charlotte Gainsbourg and Willem Defoe. Quentin Tarantino's new movie Inglourious Basterds was also screened in competition. Palme d'Or winner was Michael Haneke's stark movie The White Ribbon.

Terry Gilliam interview

Maverick film director and former Python Terry Gilliam debuted his new fantasy movie 'The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus' at the 62nd Cannes Film Festival in 2009. In this interview with RivieraLife.tv's Mark Dezzani, Terry Gilliam talks about his artistic roots in the 60s; how style now rules over substance; his difficulty with compromising; the essence of his moviemaking; the legacy of Monty Python and digital technology for up and coming film-makers.