63rd Cannes Film Festival kicks off

This year a total of 19 films have been selected to compete for the "Palme d'Or" (Golden Palm), prize of the highest honor.

They are composed of six French productions, five Asian ones, and those from Britain, Mexico, Hungary, Ukraine and Russia.

Wang Xiao-shuai, a sixth generation Chinese director, is back since 2005, featuring his "Chongqing Blues" (Rizhao Chongqing ) on the next day after the opening. His last works of "Shanghai Dreams " won him Cannes's Prize of Jury award five years ago.

South Korean directors Lee Chang-dong and Im Sangsoo will feature "Poetry" and "The Housemaid" respectively. Other Asian selections include "Outrage" of Japanese renowned Takeshi Kitano, and Thai movie "Uncle Boonmee who can recall his past lives" of Apichatpong Weerasethakul.

1996 Palme d'Or winner Mike Leigh will join the competition with its British protduction "Another Year," casting Jim Broadbent, Lesley Manville and Imelda Staunton.

The 9-member jury for Palme d'Or will be chaired by American director Tim Burton. Italian cinematographer Alberto Barbera, English actress Kate Beckinsale, French screenwriter and director Emmanuel Carrere and Indian director Shekhar Kapur are among those to decide the winner of the top prize; Kazinform cites Xinhua.

See www.xinhuanet.com/english2010/ for full version