Russian Director Competing For Top Prize At Cannes

The Cannes Film Festival is opening on May 14, starting 12 days of special screenings of new films and the unveiling of some classic films restored.

Eighteen new films will compete for the coveted Palme d'Or, including "Leviathan" by Russian director Andrey Zvyagintsev.

The festival will also feature a screening of the restored print of the spaghetti Western "A Fistful of Dollars," starring Clint Eastwood.

The film will be screened on the last day of the festival with director Quentin Tarantino as host, paying tribute to the film's 50th anniversary.

Controversy is already swirling around the film "Grace of Monaco" starring Nicole Kidman as Grace Kelly, the princess of Monaco, who died in a car accident in 1982.

The royal family in Monaco and others have criticized the film, calling it an inaccurate account of her life.
Based on reporting by Reuters and AFP