The 68th Cannes Film Festival that started today will be screening an array of impressive films that will debut in the coming ten days. There are a total of 83 films from period dramas to sex-themed movies that will be screened during the festival that ends on May 24 with the Palme d'Or award ceremony.

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The festival kicked off today with a French comedy-drama titled, "La Tete Haute" (Standing Tall).  Directed by Emmanuelle Bercot and starring Catherine Deneuve, the film is about a troubled young teen's journey through adulthood.

The Cannes is considered to be the "breeding ground for awards campaigns" such as films like "Pulp Fiction" and "The Piano." There are nineteen movies that will compete for the Palme d'Or or the best film award. One of the strong contenders for this year is Todd Haynes's "Carol," a lesbian romance starring Cate Blanchet and Rooney Mara set in the 1950s. It is a sociopolitical themed story based on the novel by Patricia Highsmith titled, "The Price of Salt."  

Another contender is "Sicario," a drug-cartel drama directed by Denis Villeneuve starring Emily Blunt and Benicio del Toro. Another one is, "Youth," starring Harvey Keitel, Rachel Weisz, Michael Caine, and Jane Fonda. Then there is the family drama, "Louder Than Bombs," by young director Joachim Trier starring Jesse Eisenberg, Isabelle Huppert, and Amy Ryan.

Then there is "The Sea of Trees," starring Matthew McConaughey.  It is a drama mystery directed by Gus Van Sant about an American man who meets a Japanese man in Japan's "Suicide Forest," who are both there for the same reason.

Also contending is British drama film, "Macbeth," based on William Shakespeare's story of the same title starring Michael Fassbender and Marion Cotillard.  And there is Pixar 's  "Inside Out," starring Amy Poehler, Diane Lane, and Mindy Kaling.

The Cannes Film Festival, one of the most prestigious and publicized film festivals in the world, was founded in 1946. It is an annual event held in Cannes, France that previews new films from around the world that cover all types of genre including documentaries.

TagsCannes Film Festival, film festival