Cannes 2008 - Opening Night

Yesterday saw the opening of the 61st Cannes Film Festival, which proudly maintains its position as the largest film event in the world. Opening proceedings this year went to Blindness directed by Fernando Meirelles (City of God and The Constant Gardener) which by and large has been praised by critics; most of who have been concerned whether this years art house offerings can outshine Steven Spielberg's Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull (try saying that after a few glasses of wine).

Trailer for Cannes 2008 opener 'Blindness'

Undeniably the big feature at Cannes this year, Indiana Jones premieres Sunday almost 20 years after Harrison Ford last played the role, however Spielberg's epic feature is not one of the 22 films/directors vying for the Palme d'Or over the next 10 days.

Among those in contention are Nuri Bilge Ceylan's (Uzak and Climates) with 'Three Monkeys', twice winners of the Palme d'Or, Rosetta and L'Enfant, the Dardenne Brothers with 'The Silence of Loma', debutant director Charlie Kaufman, former scriptwriter extraordinaire (Being John Malkovitch, Adaptation and Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind), with 'Synecdoche, New York', Lucrecia Martel (La Nina Santa) is among the early favourites with The Headless Woman and always the bridesmaid but never the bride, Clint Eastwood is hoping to make it 5th time lucky with 'Changeling'.

Last years winner, Cristian Mungui (4 months, 3 weeks and 2 days)
being presented the Palme d'or by Jane Fonda

This years jury is chaired by Sean Penn, along with the Romanian-born actor Alexandra Maria Lara, who starred in last year's British hit film Control; the Israeli-American actor Natalie Portman; the Mexican director Alfonso Cuarón; and the Iranian writer-director of Persepolis, Marjane Satrapi.

Here's hoping that we can expect some great films to come our way in 2008.