Cannes film festival: Of Gods and Men, filth and fury

Another day, another premiere – this time, it's French director Xavier Beauvois's Of Gods and Men (Des Hommes et Des Dieux), one of the 19 films in competition for the Palme d'Or
Photograph: Francois Durand/Getty Images

Could Of Gods and Men return the Cannes film festival Palme d'Or into French hands after the Austrian Michael Haneke's triumph last year? Peter Bradshaw certainly thinks so, calling it a 'stunningly serious and passionate movie'. The film's cast show their support …
Photograph: Matt Sayles/AP

… of their director Xavier Beauvois and fellow actor Michael Lonsdale at the Cannes premiere of Of Gods and Men. The film is based on a true story of French Cistercian monks confronting fundamentalist violence in North Africa
Photograph: Matt Sayles/AP

Juliette Binoche listens as Palme d'Or contender Abbas Kiarostami launches his appeal for his fellow Iranian film-maker Jafar Panahi to be released from detention. Panahi was a supporter of opposition leader Mir Hossein Mousavi in last year's disputed election that saw President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad retain power
Photograph: Jean-Paul Pelissier/Reuters

Later, Juliette Binoche joins Abbas Kiarostami on the red carpet for the premiere of Certified Copy, an examination of art and artifice. Filmed in Tuscany, it is the Iranian auteur's film to be shot outside his homeland
Photograph: Loic Venance/AP

British director Stephen Frears shares a joke with illustrator Posy Simmonds, whose Guardian comic strip and graphic novel Tamara Drewe has entertainingly been made flesh. Frears's film of Tamara Drewe has charmed Cannes, with Peter Bradshaw comparing it approvingly to 'the filthiest possible feature-length episode of The Archers'
Photograph: Anne-Christine Poujoulat/AFP/Getty Images

Tamara Drewe actors Dominic Cooper and Luke Evans are joined by fellow Stephen Frears alumna Glenn Close at the film's premiere after-party. Close, of course, starred in Dangerous Liaisons in 1988
Photograph: James McCauley/Rex Features

Russian actor Dinara Droukarova (left) joins Canadian director Atom Egoyan and French actor Emmanuelle Devos at a Cannes film festival photocall for Cinefondation jury members. The panel is led by Egoyan this year
Photograph: Vincent Kessler/Reuters

In another part of the Croisette, actors Viktor Nemets and Olga Shuvalova join director Sergei Loznitsa at a photocall for My Joy, one of the films in competition. Xan Brooks found it 'riveting' and pronounced it an outside bet for the Palme d'Or
Photograph: Francois Guillot/AFP/Getty Images

The red carpet at the 63rd Cannes film festival is not just the domain of glamorous stars and famous directors. Here's a snail making its way to the premiere of Of Gods and Men
Photograph: Valery Hache/AFP/Getty Images

It's not always sun-splashed at ritzy Cannes, as South Korean actor Yun Jung-hee can attest. She makes her way through the driving rain to the photocall for Palme d'Or contender Poetry
Photograph: Anne-Christine Poujoulat/AFP/Getty Images

Not to make heavy weather of it, but here are some Cannes film festival officials, standing ready with umbrellas on the red carpet ahead of the out-of-competition screening of Olivier Assayas's Carlos
Photograph: Eric Gaillard/Reuters

But the sun comes out for Ryan Gosling and Faith Wladyka, who plays his daughter in Blue Valentine, which is screening in the Un Certain Regard section at the 63rd Cannes film festival
Photograph: John Shearer/Getty Images

And normal service appears to be restored as stars Alexander Scheer (left) and Nora von Waldstatten (centre) and director Olivier Assayas take the red carpet for the premiere of Carlos
Photograph: Yves Herman/Reuters

Elsewhere at the 63rd Cannes film festival, Cheryl Cole performs at the De Grisogono party at the Hotel Du Cap …
Photograph: Sean Gallup/Getty Images for de Grisogono

… Vanessa Paradis joins husband Johnny Depp at the Figaro Madame/Chanel dinner …
Photograph: Martin Bureau/AFP/Getty Images

… and if you haven't had enough storm and fury at the Cannes film festival, here are some skinsmen going hell for leather at the Sound of Noise Drum Battle
Photograph: John Shearer/Getty Images