STORY

FRA Opening Night Carpet

SHOWS

The opening ceremony of the Cannes Film Festival 2016 with a celeb-filled red carpet including, Gong Li, Julianne Moore, Susan Sarandon, Naomi Watts, Eva Longoria, Doutzen Kroes, Paolo Sorrentino, Gael Garcia Bernal, Victoria Beckham, Justin Timberlake and Anna Kendrick

CANNES KICKS OFF WITH STARS AND SNIPERS

Under the watchful eye of the French security forces, the 69th Cannes Film Festival kicked off with a celeb-filled red carpet Wednesday night (11 MAY 2016).

Coming six months after the Paris terror attacks, snipers were in position on the Palais des Festivals rooftop as stars including Julianne Moore, Justin Timberlake, Gael Garcia Bernal, Jessica Chastain, Victoria Beckham, Eva Longoria, Gong Li and many more walked the famous red carpet for the premiere of Woody Allen's 1930s Hollywood comedy "Cafe Society" - the opening film.

Alan was joined at the event by cast members Jesse Eisenberg, Kristen Stewart and Blake Lively.

In the film, Eisenberg stars as a Bronx nebbish trying to make it in Hollywood, where his uncle (Steve Carell) is a powerful agent. He becomes smitten with his uncle's assistant, played by Stewart.

Also on the carpet were this year's competition jury, led by Australian filmmaker George Miller and including actors Donald Sutherland, Vanessa Paradis, Kirsten Dunst and Mads Mikkelsen.

Over the next 10 days, they will screen an especially strong slate of films vying for the Palme d'Or - the festival's top prize - including new releases from Pedro Almodovar, Jim Jarmusch, Asghar Farhadi, Andrea Arnold, Sean Penn and the Dardenne brothers.

Other high profile directors screening films at the festival include Steven Spielberg ("The BFG") and Jodie Foster ("Money Monster"). Julia Roberts, George Clooney, Ryan Gosling and Russell Crowe are among the stars expected to attend the movie extravaganza, which runs until Sunday, May 22.

AP Entertainment

Cannes, 11 May 2016

1. Tilt down, Palais des Festivals banner to security

2. Various of security

3. Medium shot of sniper on roof of Palais des Festivals

4. Wide shot, sniper on roof, tilt down to red carpet

5. Tilt up from crowd to security

6. Medium shot, lookout on roof of Palais des Festivals

7. Pan of red carpet

8. Various of Gong Li on red carpet

9. Various of Julianne Moore on red carpet

10. Various of Susan Sarandon

11. Various of Naomi Watts

12. Various of Eva Longoria

13. Various of Doutzen Kroes

14. Medium Paolo Sorrentino and guest

15. Medium of Gael Garcia Bernal

16. Various of Victoria Beckham

17. Various of Justin Timberlake

18. Various Anna Kendrick

19. Various of Timberlake and Kendrick

20. Various of Jessica Chastain and Vincent Lindon

21. Various of jury including George Miller, Arnaud Desplechin, Kirsten Dunst, Valeria Golino, Mads Mikkelsen, Laszlo Nemes, Vanessa Paradis, Katayoon Shahabi and Donald Sutherland

22. Various of Woody Allen and "Café Society" cast, including Jesse Eisenberg, Kristen Stewart and Blake Lively

23. Tilt down from Palais des Festival banner to red carpet steps