The 63rd Cannes Film Festival opened on Wednesday with Russell Crowe and Cate Blanchett the first to stroll up the red carpet for a gala screening of festival opener "Robin Hood".

The premiere attracted several Hollywood celebrities including Eva Longoria, Aishawrya Rai-Bachchan, Salma Hayek, Dame Helen Mirren and Cuba Gooding, Jr. Thousands of fans queued to catch a glimpse of the stars.

Nineteen films are set to battle for the Palme d'Or, the festival's top prize. Sean Penn, Mick Jagger, Woody Allen and Jean-Luc Godard are among the A-list celebs expected to show up at the glamorous French Riviera resort before the Palme d'Or is awarded on May 23.