For the first time in two years, the Cannes Film Festival raised the curtain on Tuesday, May 17, at the appointed time. In 2020 and 2021, the opening of the festival had to be postponed due to the pandemic, but now it is again held in May in accordance with tradition.

A new start to Cannes history – the film competition celebrates its 75th anniversary this year – was proclaimed by the French film star Virginie Efira, who for the first time acted as a host. Participants and guests had already climbed the red carpet by this time, following the rules of the festival protocol.

In preparation for the festival, its organizers watched more than two thousand films in order to select only fifty of them for all Cannes programs. As a result, 21 films were selected for the main competition, the program of which was replenished until the last moment.

The opening film out of competition on the first day of the festival was Final Cut by French director Michel Hazanavicius.

The President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelensky, spoke via video link, addressing the jury, celebrities and spectators with words about a full-scale war in Ukraine, which was unleashed by the Russian Federation.

In honor of the opening of the festival, the Ukrainian pavilion began its work. It operates within one of the largest film markets in the world, the Marché du Film.