A Look Back At Cannes Film Festival

Hollywood royalty Sophia Loren at Cannes Film Festival, France, 1954:

SIPA Press/Rex Features/Shutterstock

The Cannes Festival, named until 2002 as the International Film Festival (Festival international du film) and known in English as the Cannes Film Festival, is an annual film festival held in Cannes, France, which previews new films of all genres, including documentaries, from all around the world. Founded in 1946, the invitation-only festival is held annually (usually in May) at the Palais des Festivals et des Congrès. In 2017, the Festival de Cannes will celebrate its 70th anniversary edition from May 17 to 28.

Young Brigitte Bardot making her debut in a bathing suit during the 6th International Cannes Film Festival in Cannes, France on April 1, 1953:

IDO/Rex Features/Shutterstock

Kirk Douglas on the beach at Cannes with a young actress Brigitte Bardot during the 6th International Cannes Film Festival, 1953:

SIPA Press/Rex Features/Shutterstock

Women dressed in swimming costumes show off their bodies during a beauty contest. The 13th Cannes International Film Festival, France, 1960:

SIPA Press/Rex Features/Shutterstock

John Lennon flies out to the Cannes Film Festival with his first wife Cynthia Lennon allegedly icognito wearing dark glasses and a green velour hat, 1965:

H. Wallace/Daily Mail/Rex Features/Shutterstock

“Belle de Jour” star Francoise Fabian at the 9th Cannes International Film Festival, France, 1956:

SIPA Press/Rex Features/Shutterstock

Michael Caine during the promotion for his movie “Alfie”. Cannes Film Festival, Cannes, France, 1966:

Roger-Viollet/Rex Features/Shutterstock

A brilliantly captioned “starlets on the beach” photo, starring a trio of anonymous yet highly glamorous ladies. The 2nd Cannes International Film Festival, Cannes, France, 1947:

SIPA Press/Rex Features/Shutterstock

Starlets at Cannes Film Festival, Cannes, France, 1955:

Roger-Viollet/Rex Features/Shutterstock

French actress Brigitte Bardot sitting on the beach during the Cannes Film Festival, 1953:

Patrick Morin/RDA/Getty Images

George Baker runs through the surf at Cannes with Bella Darvi and another young friend, 1956:

Haywood Magee/Picture Post/Getty Images

Actress Brigitte Bardot watching Pablo Picasso at work in his studio in Vallauris during the 1956 International Cannes Film Festival:

Jerome Brierre/RDA/Getty Images

During Cannes film festival, the Irish starlet Didi Sullivan posed on the edge of the Mediterrannean for photographers, who had to wear bathing suits for the shoot, 1959:

Keystone-France/Gamma-Keystone via Getty Images

Actress Elke Sommer sunbathing on the beach of Cannes during the Cannes film festival, 1961:

Daniel Fallot/INA via Getty Images

Bikini clad beauties on the beach at the Cannes Film Festival on May 01, 1962:

Paul Schutzer/The LIFE Picture Collection/Getty Images

Actors Burt Lancaster and Claudia Cardinale with a real leopard in the Croisette for the presentation of Luchino Visconti’s movie “The Leopard” at the XVIth Cannes Film Festival, in Cannes, France, on May 21, 1963:

Keystone-France/Gamma-Rapho via Getty Images