The weather was just right for Cannes: warm, sunny and slightly humid. The paparazzi staked out territory with chairs and umbrellas along La Croisette, waiting for tonight’s opening night ceremony when Jury president Isabelle Huppert and other stars make their way up the red carpet.

Paparazzi along La Croisette during the Festival

The atmosphere seemed more subdued than previous years.  I was surprised that the afternoon press screening for the hotly awaited opening night film, Peter Docter’s Up, was rather sparsely attended. I expected a crowd of journalists eager to see whether the first animated feature to open the festival deserved it honored position.

Not just animated, but also shot in digital 3D, this Pixar production clearly aims to point the way to a new cinematic era and the Cannes Festival is read for it. Maybe.

I hope the technical team has better luck than the one handling another 3D screening today. The premiere of Richard Gabai’s Call of the Wild had to be postponed after the projectionist gave up trying to make the equipment work.

Only modest boats dot Cannes bay; the mega-yachts have yet to arrive

Read more about the Cannes Film Festival.

See trailers from the Official Selection.