Director and cast members pose on the red carpet before the world premiere of U.S. director Ron Howard's film 'The Da Vinci Code' at the 59th Cannes Film Festival May 17, 2006. Sidney Poitier officially opened the 59th Cannes Film Festival as the cast of "The Da Vinci Code" led a galaxy of stars bringing glitz and glamour to the French Riviera. "As I stand here in this atmosphere where the genius of so many of the world's great cinema auteurs still lingers, I am honoured in the extreme and privileged beyond words to welcome the present generation .. who will surely come with a genius of their own," the 79-year-old actor told the opening ceremony. Earlier "Da Vinci" director Ron Howard and co-stars Tom Hanks and French actress Audrey Tautou -- dressed in an off-the-shoulder, white mini dress and high, silver sling-backs -- set the cameras whirring as they gathered on the Cannes Croisette. Thousands of people had gathered behind carefully guarded barriers craning for a glimpse of the stars, including the members of the Cannes jury headed this year by Hong Kong director Wong Kar Wai. Other celebrities on the red carpet were Italian actress Monica Bellucci, in a shimmering classic long black dress, Britain's Helena Bonham-Carter and her husband Tim Burton. Wong addressed the opening of the festival in Chinese saying he was very flattered to be in Cannes, and wishing everyone a "bon festival". Earlier arrivals included Samuel L. Jackson, Chinese actress Zhang Ziyi, in a stunning red dress with a long fan train, Andie MacDowell and directors Gus Van Sant and David Cronenberg. French actress Juliette Binoche, wearing an apricot dress, arrived arm in arm with Poitier.   (Agencies)

當《達芬奇密碼》的演員及群星們先后踏上紅地毯，西尼·波伊提爾開始宣布第59屆戛納電影節正式開幕，法國城市里維埃拉也因眾星的到來而璀璨生輝。 79歲的老演員波伊提爾在開幕式上說：“在此，我無比榮幸的向新一代電影導演們表示歡迎，雖然世界級老牌導演們的佳作仍占一席之地，但新人們一定能創造出屬于自己的輝煌。” 當《達芬奇密碼》的導演榮恩·霍華德及影片的聯袂主演湯姆·漢克斯和奧黛麗·塔圖出現在克魯瓦塞特宮（戛納電影節舉行開幕式和閉幕式的地方）時，照相機的“喀嚓”聲便開始響個不停。女主角奧黛麗·塔圖身穿白色露肩迷你裙和銀色高跟后挑空式涼鞋亮相紅地毯。 為了一睹明星們的風采，成千上萬的人們聚集在紅地毯周圍的護欄外翹首以待。戛納電影節評審委員會成員也在紅地毯上接受“檢閱”，中國香港導演王家衛將擔當本屆評委會的主席。 同時亮相紅地毯的明星還有身著泛光黑色晚禮服的意大利女演員莫尼卡·貝魯奇，英國演員倫娜·邦漢-卡特和她的丈夫蒂姆·波頓。 王家衛導演在開幕式上用中文致辭。他說，能出席戛納電影節，他感到十分榮幸，同時祝愿在場每個人“電影節快樂”。 較早抵達的明星還有塞謬爾·杰克遜、身著紅色扇形拖地華麗長裙的中國女演員章子怡、安迪·麥克道爾以及導演古斯·范·森特和大衛·克倫伯格。 法國女星茱麗葉·比諾什一襲杏黃色長裙，與波伊提爾攜手亮相。 (英語點津姍姍編輯)