Slideshow: Glitz and Glamour of Cannes Film Festival underway

Some of Hollywood’s biggest names including Charlize Theron, Michael Fassbender, Natalie Portman, Matthew McConaughey and Cate Blanchett are expected to jet out to the Riviera for the Cannes Film Festival.

A total of 19 films are in the running for the most coveted prize at the event, the Palme d’Or.

This year’s prize jury is headed by filmmaking duo the Coen brothers and includes screen stars Sienna Miller and Jake Gyllenhaal.

Films vying for Cannes’ biggest prize include Gus Van Sant’s The Sea Of Trees, starring McConaughey and Naomi Watts.

Lesbian love story Carol, with Blanchett and Rooney Mara playing lovers in 1950s New York, is also in competition, alongside Macbeth, starring Fassbender as the Scottish king and Marion Cotillard as his wife.

Films out of competition include Asif Kapadia’s documentary about the life of Amy Winehouse, which has been slammed as “misleading” by the late singer’s family despite having backed the making of the film.

Amy, the story of the singer before her death from alcohol poisoning in 2011, will be shown for the first time when it is screened at the festival in the south of France.

Woody Allen’s Irrational Man, starring Joaquin Phoenix as a philosophy professor at “rock bottom” and Emma Stone, is also being shown out of competition.

Big-screen epic Mad Max: Fury Road, featuring Tom Hardy in the role originally played by Mel Gibson, and Theron, is also getting a screening.

Meanwhile, organisers have warned celebrities and fans to leave their selfie sticks at home.

Festival director Thierry Fremaux called selfies ‘’ridiculous and grotesque’’ and said the festival strongly discouraged them.

Meanwhile, Cheryl Fernandez-Versini could be making a red carpet appearance at the festival in the capacity of L’Oreal ambassador.

And Sharon Stone will once again be hosting the Cinema Against Aids gala, with performances from Charli XCX and Mary J Blige.