The 79th edition of the Cannes Film Festival is all set to begin today and will run till May 23. This year’s lineup is heavily focused on auteur-driven cinema, bringing together returning Palme d’Or winners, and festival regulars.

Here’s everything you need to know about this year’s edition of the annual French film festival.

Which films are competing for the Palme d’Or?

Among the Competition titles generating the strongest early attention is Hope from South Korean filmmaker Na Hong-jin. Best known for The Wailing, Na returns to Cannes with a sci-fi thriller starring Michael Fassbender, Alicia Vikander, Hoyeon and Taylor Russell.

Japanese director Hirokazu Kore-eda’s Sheep in the Box, reportedly centred around artificial intelligence, has also emerged as one of the lineup’s most closely watched projects. Cristian Mungiu’s Fjord, starring Sebastian Stan alongside Renate Reinsve, is also a title to watch out for.

Ira Sachs’s The Man I Love is the only American film in the competition section. Set during the AIDS crisis in 1980s New York, the film stars Rami Malek and has been described as a “musical fantasia” set in a city under pressure.

Who are the jury members?

This year’s Competition jury will be led by South Korean filmmaker Park Chan-wook as Jury President. Joining him on the international panel are Demi Moore, Chloé Zhao, Ruth Negga and Stellan Skarsgård, who will help select this year’s Palme d’Or winner.

Who are the Honorary Palme d’Or recipients this year?

Ahead of the festival, Cannes organisers also announced that Peter Jackson and Barbra Streisand will receive Honorary Palme d’Or awards. Jackson, director of The Lord of the Rings trilogy, will be honoured during the opening ceremony for his filmmaking career, while Streisand will receive the award during the closing ceremony in recognition of her six-decade contribution to film and music.

Which Indian celebrities are attending the festival?

A strong Indian presence is also expected at Cannes this year. Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, Alia Bhatt and Aditi Rao Hydari are set to attend as ambassadors for L'Oréal Paris.

The Indian entourage will also include Jacqueline Fernandez, Tara Sutaria, Mouni Roy, Pooja Batra and designer Manish Malhotra.

Filmmaker Karan Johar is also likely to return to Cannes this year. Meanwhile, Ashutosh Gowariker will attend as part of India’s official delegation in his role as director of the International Film Festival of India.

Among Indian creators and influencers expected at the festival are fashion commentator Sufi Motiwala, creator Ishita Mangal, influencer Rida Tharana, actor-creator Disha Madan, beauty creator The Mermaid Scale, dancer Nidhi Kumar and content creators Ishani Mitra and Niranjan Mondol.

Actress Smriti Khanna, influencer Niharika Jain, celebrity chef Pavitra Kaur and Dipali Mathur are also expected to attend.

International creator Sam Webb and entrepreneurs Sneha Khanal and Bhupendra Khanal, founders of Himalayan pet-care brand Dogsee Chew, are also expected to represent India at the festival.

Where can Indian viewers watch the Cannes red carpet?

Indian viewers will be able to watch the festival through the Festival de Cannes YouTube channel. DD India on JioTV is streaming a special programme titled 79th Cannes: Stars, Stories And Cinema, focusing on Indian celebrities, filmmakers and creators attending the festival.