The opening will, therefore, take place on the evening of Tuesday, 8th May and the awards ceremony will be on Saturday, 19th May, it was announced.

“Following 2017’s anniversary edition, the Festival is beginning a new period in its history,” says Festival President Pierre Lescure. “We intend to renew the principles of our organisation as much as possible while continuing to question the cinema of our age and to be present through its upheavals.”

This new schedule, festival organisers believe, will allow them to rebalance the two weeks of the event and to bring new energy to the proceedings.

What is more, starting on a Tuesday will allow to hold an additional gala evening before the Festival weekend and to organise previews of the opening film throughout France.

Finally, bringing forward the announcement of awards by one day, on Saturday evening, will increase its prestige, while at the same time giving the closing film better exposure, states the organiser.