Cannes Film Festival opens with animated comedy film 'Up'

Pete Docter's 90-minute film is the first 3-D film to have the honour of opening the 12 day long extravaganza which will showcase works by celebrated filmmakers from across the world.

The story of the Disney-Pixar film revolves around an eccentric balloonseller, 78-year-old Carl Frederickson, who decides to take a final adventurer trip.

He ties his house to hundreds of helium balloons and flies away to South America. But what the old man could never foresee is the nail-biting adventure that follows his journey, largely instigated by a castaway boy, Russell.

The Festival's General-Delegate, Thierry Fremaux, hoped that the 12-day event would be a roller-coaster ride just like the one enjoyed by movie protagonist, Frederickson.

'Up' is a complete opposite of last year's grim choice, Brazilian film 'Blindness'. Directed by filmmaker Fernando Meirelles, the film told the story of a plague of blindness sweeping the world.

The festival, which is famous for its extravagance, has toned down some of the glitz this year due to the economic slump but the formidable line up of films by some of the world's most celebrated directors makes up for the lost lustre.

Hollywood's A-listers like Brad Pitt, Johnny Depp, Penelope Cruz, and Jude Law will add the glamour quotient as they walk up the red carpet for the 12 day long bash.

The film festival will see the heavyweights like Quentin Tarantino, Oscar-winner Ang Lee, Pedro Almodovar and Jane Campion fight it out for the coveted Palme d'Or.

The most awaited film of the festival is Tarantino's 'Inglorious Bastards', the World War II drama revolves around the lives of Jewish-American soldiers on a mission to murder Nazis. With the Brad-Pitt starrer film, Tarantino is vying for his second Palme d'Or top prize to be handed out on May 24.
Tarantino won his first the Palme d'Or in 1994 for 'Pulp Fiction'.

'Brokeback Mountain' director Ang Lee will compete at the festival with his film 'Taking Woodstock'.
The other previous Palme winners competing at the festival are Jane Campion, Lars Von Trier and Ken Loach.