Cannes Film Festival 2017: What you need to know

The French Riviera better get ready for an influx of celebrities, fans and photographers: It's time for the 70th annual Cannes Film Festival.

The film fest is one of the most prestigious cinematic events of the year, and cinephiles and Hollywood’s brightest will be paying close attention to the winner of the coveted Palme d'Or prize. But there’s also plenty to enjoy if you’re an armchair observer. From the stars to the parties to the movies (and TV shows), here’s everything you should know about the festival.

When is it?

The festival will take place from May 17-28 on the famed Boulevard de la Croisette in Cannes, with film premieres, red carpets and parties spread out during the run.

Who is judging the films?

Volver and Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown director Pedro Almodóvar heads this year's jury. Four women and four men from around the world compose the rest of the jurors, including Jessica Chastain, Will Smith, Chinese actress Fan Bingbing, The Young Pope creator Paolo Sorrentino, Stoker director Park Chan-wook, French actress Agnès Jaoui, German writer-director Maren Ade and The English Patient composer Gabriel Yared.

There are other juries for some of the other categories of competition, including Un Certain Regard, headed by Uma Thurman, and short and student films, with Moonlight director Barry Jenkins..

Who else will be there?

You can expect Nicole Kidman, who has four different projects screening, to make an appearance. Other likely attendees include Julianne Moore, Kristen Stewart, Elle Fanning, Elisabeth Moss, Tilda Swinton, Jake Gyllenhaal and Marion Cotillard.

And we may get a cameo from Rihanna, thanks to her new collection with jeweler Chopard, set to debut at the festival, so look out for her and other celebs who come to enjoy the many surrounding parties.

There’s going to be great red carpet fashion, right?

Absolutely. The Cannes carpet is one of the biggest fashion stages in the world. You may remember it as the one where the “prankster” journalist dove under America Ferrera’s gown or for the dust-up over whether or not women have to wear heels to walk down it.

What are the movies I should look out for?

There are dozens of films officially in competition or screening, and they’re all over the board. But make sure to keep an eye on these five films that already are generating buzz: The Beguiled, a thriller from director Sofia Coppola starring Nicole Kidman, Kirsten Dunst and Colin Farrell; The Killing of a Sacred Deer, which also stars Kidman and Farrell; Wonderstruck, starring Julianne Moore and Michelle Williams; Okja, a Netflix film from Snowpiercer director Bong Joon-ho; and You Were Never Really Here, starring Joaquin Phoenix. You might be hearing some of these names again through awards season (if they’re lucky).

What about TV?

The festival is celebrating more than film these days. Keep an eye out for screenings of two highly-anticipated TV shows at this year's event: Top of the Lake: China Girl, starring Elisabeth Moss and Nicole Kidman, and the revival of Twin Peaks, from director David Lynch and featuring much of the original cast.