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IN PHOTO : Cannes Film festival general delegate Thierry Fremaux (R) and its president Pierre Lescure attend a news conference to announce the competing films at the 68th Cannes Film Festival in Paris April 16, 2015. The 68th edition will run from May 13 to May 24. REUTERS/Benoit Tessier

The nominations for the Cannes Film Festival was announced on April 16. The film festival's director Thierry Fremaux and president Pierre Lescure unveiled a star-studded line up for the festival's 68th edition.

English-language movies by Gus Van Sant, Denis Villeneuve, Todd Haynes, Justin Kurzel, Paolo Sorrentino and Matteo Garrone will vie for the Palme d’Or alongside films by Jia Zhangke, Jacques Audiard, Valerie Donzelli and Hou Hsiao-hsien. Find out the rest of the nominations at the official Cannes Film Festival website.

Woody Allen's "Irrational Man" and George Miller's "Mad Max: Fury Road" will be screened out of competition. Pixar's "Inside Out" will also have its official premiere at the festival. (Watch the trailer below.)

"We are overjoyed at being included in this year's official selection at Cannes." Said "Inside Out" director Pete Docter, according to The Verge. He also added that it was "prestigious" for Pixar to be included and a good way to put the film in front of "top" critics.

The other big news from this year's festival is that for the first time since 1987, a film directed by a woman will kick off Cannes. The Festival has revealed that "La Tête Haute," directed by Emmanuelle Bercot and starring Catherine Deneuve will be the opening night film. The last woman-directed film to get this honor was Diane Kurys' "A Man in Love," 28 years ago.

One of the most recognizable names include Gus Van Sant, whose movie "The Sea of Trees" starring Matthew McConaughey and Naomi Watts will be going head-to-head against "Carol" starring Cate Blanchett directed by Todd Haynes. The Emily Blunt and Benicio Del Toro "Sicario" will also be vying for the festival's most prestigious honor.

The nominations for the Un Certain Regard include Neeraj Ghaywan’s “Fly Away Solo,” Gurvinder Singh’s “The Fourth Direction,” Corneliu Porumboiu’s “The Treasure,” Radu Muntean’s “One Floor Below,” Ida Panahandeh’s “Nahid,” Grimar Hakonarson’s “Rams,” Shin Su-won’s “Madonna” and Oh Seung-euk’s “The Shameless.” The Un Certain Regard is the section devoted for developing young talents.

Thierry Fremaux made it a point to say that the festival would “wage a campaign to slow down the contemporary practice of (taking) selfies on the red carpet.” He added that while he did not want to sound prohibitive or coercive, he thought this practice was “extremely ridiculous and grotesque.”

Video: Inside Out Trailer 2 UK - Official Disney Pixar | HD

(Credit: Youtube/Disney UK)

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