Cannes rolls out red carpet as world's top filmfest kicks off

Cannes rolled out the red carpet Wednesday to welcome a bevy of movie megastars and A-list directors at the opening of the world's top film showcase.

French crooner Charles Aznavour declared the 62nd edition of the glitzy Riviera festival open at a gala ceremony before the screenings began with the world premiere of Pixar's 3D cartoon comedy "Up."

Isabelle Huppert, the French actress leading the jury that on May 24 will pick the winner from among 20 films vying for the Palme d'Or top prize, paid tribute to the film-makers presenting their work at the festival.

"Film-makers ... tell us who we are and perhaps who we will become," she said before she and her team began viewing the work of directors such as Quentin Tarantino, Pedro Almodovar, Elia Suleiman and Park Chan-wook.