No UK films in Cannes competition

For the second year running no British films are competing for the Palme d’Or at the Cannes Film Festival.

However, Hunger by British director Steve McQueen opened the film’s second competition Un Certain Regard.

The film depicts the last days of IRA hunger striker Bobby Sands.

Stars have been arriving in Cannes ahead of the first weekend of the festival.

This year actor and director Sean Penn heads the jury which will award the coveted Palme d’Or to one of 22 entries.

Among the big films showing are the latest Indiana Jones instalment The Kingdom of the Crystal Skull and Kung Fu Panda.

The festival opened with Brazilian film Blindness, starring Julianne Moore and directed by Fernando Meirelles.