'Blindness,' spectacle as Cannes opens

May 14, 2008 The Festival de Cannes fixed its gaze on the world premiere of Fernando Meirelles' "Blindness" on Wednesday night as Sean Penn led his jury into the Palais des Festivals. French funnyman Edouard Baer animated the evening with references to Dany Boon's record-breaking boxoffice hit "Welcome to the Land of the 'Shtis" and a warm welcome in English, telling the crowd in a thick French accent: "My heart is full of love and emotion." Fest toppers Gilles Jacob and Thierry Fremaux put the Cannes lineup on a diet this year with fewer films in the official selection than usual, and the opening-night festivities were equally trimmed down compared to last year's 60th anniversary hoopla.

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