The 70th Cannes Film Festival began on Wednesday amid unprecedented levels of security.
The town is about 3km from Nice where, 10 months ago, 85 people were killed when a truck ploughed along a crowded promenade.
For the first time, local policemen will be issued handguns. Until this point, only national police officers were allowed to carry side arms.
The Cannes volunteers have also been seen wearing bulletproof vests.
Yves Daros, director of the municipal police, says about 550 surveillance cameras will be observing the goings-on.
There are 19 films in competition for the Palme d’Or this year, including Sofia Coppola’s remake of the 1971 classic Clint Eastwood movie of the same name, and French arthouse director’s film ‘L’Amant Double’.
The Cannes Film Festival runs from May 17 to May 28.
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