CANNES, France — The Cannes Film Festival threw a star-studded celebration Tuesday for its 70th anniversary, drawing mobs of celebrities and a dozen former Palme d’Or winners to commemorate the illustrious French Riviera festival’s birthday.

Big names from across cinema streamed down the Cannes red carpet Tuesday night for a ceremony. Earlier in the day, the festival gathered more than 100 current and former Cannes participants for a “Cannes family portrait.”

Among the many in attendance were Will Smith, Charlize Theron, Tilda Swinton, Nicole Kidman, Marion Cotillard and Jessica Chastain.

The most honored guests, though, were the former Palme d’Or winners, several of whom have films at this year’s festival. On hand were Roman Polanski, David Lynch, Jane Campion, Ken Loach, Bernardo Bertolucci, Michael Haneke and others. They were seated in the front row for the photo and the last to walk the red carpet Tuesday night.

Some of the festivities were curtailed after Monday night’s fatal explosion in Manchester, England. Fireworks planned for the evening were scuttled.

The sheer congregation of movie stars and filmmakers from around the world led to some remarkable images. When “Gettin’ Jiggy Wit It” played on the red carpet, Smith grooved alongside Chastain and Pedro Almodovar.


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