Film fest kicks off under tight security

CANNES: The Hollywood elite jetted into France on yesterday for the Cannes Film Festival, with a Michael Moore documentary “take down” of United States President Donald Trump among announcements stirring up a buzz as the 12-day movie marathon kicked off.

This year marks the 70th birthday of the world’s biggest film festival, with A-listers including Nicole Kidman, Clint Eastwood and Will Smith, set to grace the French resort amid “unprecedented” tight security.

Miramax supremos Bob and Harvey Weinstein were due to announce their backing in Cannes of the new documentary from leftist provocateur Moore, billed as an expose of the US leader.

In Fahrenheit 11/9 — a nod to the date Trump was elected, as well as Moore’s Fahrenheit 9/11 that won the Palme d’Or in 2004 — Moore has pledged to take down a president, who has so far survived an avalanche of scandals and controversies.

“Facts, reality and brains cannot defeat him. Even when he commits a self-inflicted wound, he gets up the next morning and keeps going and tweeting,” Moore said in Screen International magazine.

“That all ends with this movie.” Italian star Monica Bellucci is set to host the opening ceremony, with French drama Ismael’s Ghosts, starring Marion Cotillard, as the opening film.

Spanish director Pedro Almodovar is leading the jury charged with picking a winner among the 19 films vying for the coveted Palme d’Or top prize, on a panel that also includes Smith, Interstellar star Jessica Chastain, and Chinese actress Fan Bingbing.

Stars are arriving under tighter security — 10 months after the truck attack in nearby Nice killed 86 people.

Concrete barriers in the form of giant flower pots have been set up to block a similar assault, and snipers have been positioned above sensitive sites. AFP