In pictures: Film festival opens

Stars of the silver screen turned on the charm for the 53rd Cannes film festival. Despite gloomy weather, the film industry's rich and famous paraded in their finest for the official opening.

Daytime arrivals: Actors Gerard Depardieu and Uma Thurman pose for the paparazzi

Jury president Luc Besson with jury members Nicole Garcia, Arundhati Roy, Kristin Scott Thomas and Aitanan Shanchez-Gijon

Iranian Samira Makhmalbaf, aged 20, is the youngest director ever in competition - her film is Black Board

English director Roland Joffe's film Vatel opened the festival on Wednesday night

Official opening: American actress Holly Hunter arrives at the festival palace for the screening

Model Claudia Schiffer and actresses Andie MacDowell and Gong Li pose outside the palace

Wonderbra model Adriana Sklenarikova shows off her jewels

Nicole Garcia, Luc Besson, Aitana Sanchez-Gijon and Kristin Scott Thomas line-up for the cameras

Chic: German director Wim Wenders and French actress Isabelle Huppert

Dolled up: Uma Thurman puts on a show for the opening ceremony

Calista Flockhart - TV's Ally McBeal - braves the opening night rain