Two icons of French cinema passed away this year: director Maurice Pialat and producer Daniel Toscan du Plantier. In tribute, on Saturday May 17, the Cannes Film Festival will be showing 1987 Palme d'Or winner, Sous Le Soleil De Satan, the fruit of their collaboration.

Then, on Sunday May 18, a special screening in Salle Bunuel will present a series of short films directed by Maurice Pialat, as well as new footage on his work.

A tribute to Jeanne Moreau will take place on Saturday May 24. For the occasion, the Festival will be showing a short archival film dedicated to the French actress, prior to the screening of Josee Dayan's Cet Amour-La.

During the dinner held in her honour, Jeanne Moreau will receive the Festival Trophy.

The 56th edition of the Festival will be punctuated with numerous events paying homage to the Italian master filmmaker, marking the ten-year anniversary of his death.

An integral retrospective of his work, organised with the gracious help of the Cinecitta Holding and all of Fellini's producers, will be presented in several theatres of the Palais and in Cannes, as well as nightly screenings at the "Cinema de la Plage".

There will be new and restored prints, including unseen material that the director had initially planned to include in his films. A series of documentaries and photos of Fellini at work will accompany the retrospective.

There will be a number of musical events set to bring the Fellini film scores to life. To that effect, a brass ensemble will interpret the most famous Nino Rota musical themes, at the Bandstand. Moreover, the musical esplanade will fill the Croisette air with scores composed by Nino Rota and Nicola Piovani for Fellini's films - among others.

Cannes introduces a new event to the Festival this year: the Lecon de Musique. Nicola Piovani, the last composer to have worked with Federico Fellini, will discuss his work with the legendary filmmaker in the very first Lecon de Musique, held on Tuesday May 20 at the Palais des Festivals.