Sawt Falasteen - Cannes film fest to announce line-up

The world's leading cinema shindig returns to the Cote d'Azur from May 16-28, having bagged the world premieres of the new Indiana Jones and Martin Scorsese movies, as well as the comeback film from Johnny Depp.

The full line-up is due to be announced by festival director Thierry Fremaux around 0900 GMT.

There are normally around 20 films competing for the coveted Palme d'Or, which can give a major boost for arthouse cinema such as last year's winner "Triangle of Sadness", which went on to win several Oscar nominations.

Its director, Sweden's Ruben Ostlund, heads this year's jury.

Hollywood also loves the French Riviera as a launchpad for its glossier fare, with "Top Gun: Maverick" and "Elvis" getting their world premieres at the festival last year.

This time sees "Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny", with Harrison Ford as guest of honour for his fifth and final appearance as the iconic adventuring archaeologist, alongside Phoebe Waller-Bridge and Antonio Banderas.

Also confirmed is Scorsese's "Killers of the Flower Moon", starring Leonardo DiCaprio and Robert De Niro.

And arguably the biggest star of 2023 (and so-called "Internet daddy") following TV hit "The Last of Us", Pedro Pascal will be joined by Ethan Hawke for a "queer Western" short film, "Strange Way of Life", by Spanish cult favourite Pedro Almodovar.

- Depp's return -

There could be still more Hollywood glitz if rumours are confirmed that new films from directors Wes Anderson and Todd Haynes are among the competition entries.

Anderson's latest, "Asteroid City", has a typically A-list roster including Tom Hanks, Margot Robbie and Scarlett Johansson, while Haynes has a romance, "May/December" starring Natalie Portman and Julianne Moore.

A fiery start is already guaranteed thanks to opening night film "Jeanne du Barry", which sees Depp play French king Louis XV in his first role since an explosive defamation trial against ex-wife Amber Heard.

As if that was not enough to inflame social media, the film's star and director, Maiwenn, had a criminal complaint lodged against her last week for allegedly assaulting a journalist -- yanking his head back and spitting in his face -- in a Paris restaurant.

Meanwhile arthouse fans are crossing their fingers for the return of luminaries such as Jonathan Glazer, Yorgos Lanthimos and Hirokazu Kore-eda, as well as previous Palme winners Ken Loach, Nanni Moretti and Nuri Bilge Ceylan.

M.AbuKhalil--SF-PST