Cannes Celebrates 61

The Cannes Film Festival, which opens in the southern French city on May 14, 2008, and runs for two weeks, is in its 61st year. In 1939, France's minister for public instruction and the arts, Jean Zay, proposed holding an international film festival, but his plans were delayed by World War II and couldn't be realized until 1946. With the exception of 1948 and 1950, when the festival had to be cancelled due to lack of funds, it has taken place every year since its founding. Today, the festival is one of the most significant in the film industry and, with over 4,000 journalists attending, one of the branch's most well covered annual events. This year's official poster by Pierre Collier is inspired by a photograph by US film director David Lynch. <i>Click below for a glimpse of the six decades of Cannes.</i>

American actor Ernest Borgnine posed in 1955 with a poster advertising that year's Cannes Film Festival. Half a century later, the festival has become one of the world's most important film events.

The Cannes Film Festival was just a decade old when French star Brigitte Bardot posed for paparazzi in the southern French city during the 1956 event. Posing on the beach at Cannes is a must for the hottest stars, but these days, they have to fight off mobs of fans.

British actor Peter Ustinov, right, shook hands with an unseen friend of fellow British actor Michael Caine during a reception at the 1966 Cannes Film Festival. Ustinov, an Oscar-winner who later earned a reputation for his humanitarian work, died in 2004.

In May 1972, British film director Alfred Hitchcock was among the illustrious guests at the 26th Cannes Film Festival.

Solveig Dommartin swung from a trapeze in "The Sky Over Berlin," by German director Wim Wenders. The film was awarded a Palme D'Or for Best Director at the 1987 Cannes Film Festival.

American actors John Goodman, Dan Aykroyd, Joe Morton und J. Evan Bonifant (left to right) came to Cannes for the showing of their film "Blues Brothers 2000" at the 1998 festival.

The Ritz Carlton in Cannes decked itself out a la Hollywood in preparation for the 2001 festival.

American actors Sharon Stone and Rosanna und Patricia Arquette proclaimed peace on the beach at the 2002 Cannes Film Festival.

With a view like that, who wants to sit in a movie theater?

On the beaches of Cannes, the most sought after palm is made of gold. This one is from the 2004 Cannes Film Festival.

Acclaimed French actor Catherine Deneuve chose to look at the camera instead of festival director Gilles Jacob at the 2005 event.

Spanish actress Penelope Cruz's ankle was a highlight of the 2005 Cannes Film Festival. She had arrived for the screening of her film "Chromophobia," directed by Martha Fiennes.

Belgian actor Benoit Poelvoorde couldn't contain his excitement during a photo session with his co-stars for their film "Selon Charlie" at the 2006 Cannes Film Festival.

Ms. Vulture stunned fashion critiques by arriving in a light brown feathered coat and white boots for the screening of her film "Over the Hedge" at the 59th annual Cannes Film Festival in 2006.

Turkish-German director Fatih Akin won the Best Screenplay Award for "The Edge of Heaven" in 2007.