Cannes Film Festival Opens With Zelenskyy Video Address

Ukraine’s First Lady Olena Zelenska is advocating for the importance of mental health during war.

glitziest film festival is sometimes portrayed as a bubble – and to some extent, that is true. One could easily have spent a week on the Croisette without noticing that the host country has a whole new government, and only the second woman prime minister in its history.

John F. Kennedy’s daughter Caroline Kennedy and her son Jack Schlossberg presented to Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy the JFK Profile in Courage Award in a ceremony held at the John F.

Ashton Kutcher has a bone to pick with Time magazine.

A woman clad in nothing but body paint and undergarments rushed the Cannes Film Festival red carpet premiere of George Miller’s "Three Thousand Years of Longing" on Friday to deliver a message to the masses. "Stop raping us" the unidentified woman’s torso-written message read in the familiar blue and yellow colors of the Ukraine flag as she stripped down and collapsed to her knees in rage before being apprehended by nearby security personnel.

Eva Longoria stuns in a cut-out dress for the Global Gift Gala during the 2022 Cannes Film Festival at JW Marriott on Thursday (May 19) in Cannes, France.

CANNES, France -- A woman who stripped off her clothes to reveal a message against rape written on her body crashed the Cannes Film Festival red carpet premiere of George Miller's “Three Thousand Years of Longing” on Friday.The unidentified woman tore off her clothes during the film's red carpet procession to reveal the message “Stop raping us” written across her torso next to the blue and yellow colors of the Ukraine flag. Red was also painted on her legs and groin.While she yelled “Don't rape us!” security quickly encircled her and took her off the red carpet.Representatives for the festival didn't immediately comment.Russia's war in Ukraine has often been in the spotlight at this year's Cannes festival, which is screening several films from Ukrainian filmmakers.

Cannes Film Festival is best-known for its lavish parties and stunning red carpets, but the celebration of cinema has also often been colored by political concerns. This year, promises to be an unusually turbulent one.After all, filmmakers, studio executives and movie lovers are assembling in the South of France as the specter of war in Ukraine and rising autocracies around the world threaten to overshadow the good times.

The 75th Cannes Film Festival kicked off with a star-studded opening ceremony that not only doubled as a premiere for the French film Final Cut (Coupez!), but also included Forest Whitaker accepting his honorary Palme d’Or and a surprise video address from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.

The 75th edition of the Cannes Film Festival officially kicked off this evening with an emotional opening ceremony that reached a pinnacle as Ukraine president Volodymyr Zelensky appeared via video to address the Palais audience live from Kyiv.

Volodymyr Zelenskyy outshone all of the stars at the Cannes Film Festival after he addressed the opening night crowd of actors and filmmakers, delivering an emotional plea on behalf of his war-torn country. Appearing via video, Zelenskyy had festival-goers dabbing their eyes.“We continue fighting,” Zelenskyy said.

TURIN, Italy -- Ukrainian band Kalush Orchestra won the Eurovision Song Contest, a clear show of popular support for the group's war-ravaged nation that went beyond music.The band and its song “Stefania” beat 24 other performers early Sunday in the grand final of the competition. The public vote from home, via text message or the Eurovision app, proved decisive, lifting them above British TikTok star Sam Ryder, who led after the national juries in 40 countries cast their votes.Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy welcomed the victory, Ukraine's third since its 2003 Eurovision debut.

CANNES, France -- After a canceled 2020 edition and a scaled back gathering last year, the Cannes Film Festival on Tuesday rolled out the red carpet for what organizers hope will be a f ully resuscitated French Riviera spectacular.The 75th Cannes Film Festival is set to open Tuesday night with the premiere of Michel Hazanavicius' zombie comedy “Final Cut.” Over the next 12 days, 21 films will vie for the festival's prestigious top award, the Palme d'Or, while a handful of high-profile Hollywood titles — including “Top Gun: Maverick,” “Elvis” and “Three Thousand Years of Longing” — will also launch in Cannes.“This year, everyone wanted to come to Cannes,” said Thierry Frémaux, artistic director of the festival, ahead of the opening. “Everyone wanted to meet again.”This year's Cannes will officially begin Tuesday evening with an opening ceremony preceding the premier of “Final Cut," which was renamed from its original title, “Z,” after Ukrainian protesters noted that the letter Z to some symbolizes support for Russia’s war in Ukraine.The war in Ukraine is expected to be a regular presence in Cannes.

TURIN, Italy -- Ukrainian band Kalush Orchestra won the Eurovision Song Contest, a clear show of popular support for the group's war-ravaged nation that went beyond music.The band and its song “Stefania” beat 24 other performers early Sunday in the grand final of the competition. The public vote from home, via text message or the Eurovision app, proved decisive, lifting them above British TikTok star Sam Ryder, who led after the national juries in 40 countries cast their votes.Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy welcomed the victory, Ukraine's third since its 2003 Eurovision debut.

Ukraine and women in combat gear, as the annual song contest took on ever more political tones.The video was released hours after Kalush Orchestra brought Ukraine its third Eurovision win, pulling ahead of Britain in the grand final after the votes from some of the estimated 200 million viewers from 40 participating countries were tallied.Band members posed for photos and signed autographs outside their Turin hotel Sunday, en route to an interview with Italian host broadcaster RAI. They must return to Ukraine on Monday after being given special permission to leave the country to attend the competition.Russia was barred from the Eurovision Song Contest this year after its Feb.

Ukrainian band Kalush Orchestra won the Eurovision Song Contest in the early hours of Sunday in a clear show of support for the war-ravaged nation.