The 58th Cannes film festival opened Wednesday with Asian films in focus.(Photo: Xinhua/AFP)(Photo: Xinhua/AFP)(Photo: Xinhua/AFP)(Photo: Xinhua/AFP)(Photo: Xinhua/AFP)

BEIJING, May 12-- Actors, movie-makers and film fans are gathering in the South of France for the start of the Cannes Film Festival.

A host of Hollywood stars are jetting in for the annual extravaganza.

The hottest ticket of the festival is, without out a doubt, the world premiere of George Lucas's epic sci-fi saga Star Wars III.

Ewan McGregor, Natalie Portman and Hayden Christensen will be in Cannes for the screening of Episode III: Revenge of the Sith this weekend.

Sharon Stone, Liza Minnelli, Paris Hilton, Mischa Barton, Clive Owen, Colin Firth and Brittany Murphy are among the celebrities who will be gracing the red carpet.

Sin City, the dark comic book adaptation starring Clive Owen and Mickey Rourke, is also in contention.

But Chromophobia, directed by Brit Martha Fiennes and featuring her brother Ralph alongside Penelope Cruz, has been selected as the closing night film.

(Source: CRIENGLISH.com)