Cannes Film Festival Turns 60 with Stars, Stunts and Surprises

By: Allie McComas

The Cannes Film Festival is celebrating its 60th year as the world’s foremost international film festival. Interestingly enough, this event, which was intended to be an alternative to the Venice Film Festival in Mussolini's Italy, almost never made it past the first day in 1939. The day after opening, they had to close when World War II broke out. But the "little film festival that could" has now become the world’s largest yearly media event and stands alone as the epicenter of the international film industry marketplace. During this twelve-day media frenzy, the city’s population swells from the normal 70,000 residents to 105,000.

Opening this 60th Cannes film festival was "My Blueberry Nights," which was directed by Wong Kar-wai and stars singer Norah Jones in her acting debut, along with Jude Law and Natalie Portman. Super-celebs George Clooney, Al Pacino, Brad Pitt and Matt Damon are promoting their latest "Ocean’s" movie, "Ocean's Thirteen." Angelina Jolie was also on hand representing her new movie entitled "A Mighty Heart." Another popular star celebrating in Cannes this year was Leonardo DiCaprio accompanying his environmentally-aware new documentary "The 11th Hour."

To commemorate its 60th year, the festival is celebrating its glamorous history with a special photo exhibit featuring celebrity attendants throughout the years. Pictures of Cary Grant, Natalie Wood, Kim Novak, and many others show the rich history of this international event. The nostalgia was not only represented in print but also through a feature-length homage to the movies, highlighting 35 shorts from acclaimed directors including Wong, the Coen brothers ("Fargo"), Wim Wenders ("Wings of Desire"), Roman Polanski ("The Pianist") and Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu ("Babel").

But, of course it’s not Cannes unless there are wild celebrity stunts, right? Well, this year was no exception as comedian Jerry Seinfeld, donning a rotund bumblebee suit, suspended from wires, descended from the roof of the Carlton Hotel down in front of a huge DreamWorks' billboard promoting the animated "Bee Movie" along the beach on the Croisette. Seinfeld stars in the movie along with Chris Rock and Renee Zellwegger.

Another surprise for Cannes’ 60th birthday happened around midnight on Saturday when the members of U2 walked up the red carpet steps with instruments in hand and gave a mini-concert in front of the Palais du Festival. The seemingly impromptu concert was unknown to the festival’s president until just 24 hours before. It was a definite highlight this year, especially for the people waiting to get into Saturday’s midnight movie, which just happened to be "U2 3D," U2’s concert film. To catch all the live action, The Independent Film Channel’s website had a Cannes Cam that was focused on the red carpet 24/7.

The main competition for the Palme d’Or, Cannes’ top prize, included 22 films from countries including Israel, South Korea, Mexico and Russia as well as movies from four previous winners: the Coen brothers' thriller, "No Country for Old Men;" Tarantino's gory "Death Proof;" Gus Van Sant's "Paranoid Park;" and Sarajevo-born Emir Kusturica's "Promise Me This."

You can find out the latest news and events from Cannes by visiting Cannes Film Festival.