Torrential rain fails to dampen Cannes spirit The Cannes film festival got off to a soggy start but even the heavens opening could not cloud the brilliance of the talent on display. Opening proceedings was the glitzy adaptation of the Scott Fitzgerald novel "The Great Gatsby" starring Leonardo DiCaprio. It may have had mixed reviews in the US but DiCaprio has been praised for his performance. Chairing the jury for this, the 66th edition of the festival is the man of the same age - director Steven Spielberg. Together with fellow judges who include Nicole Kidman, he will sit through hours of film footage to pick a winner. Several previous winners are returning this year including Steven Soderbergh whose film The Candelabra with Michael Douglas playing the flamboyant pianist Liberace will have a screening. No British films have been selected in the official competition part of the festival although UK director Paul Wright will be making his festival debut with his remote Scottish village saga, "For Those in Peril." But apart from all the culture what is top of the list for many movie buffs is spotting who's who on the red carpet. "It was raining stars for the opening of the 66th Cannes Film Festival - what with the full cast of The Great Gatsby with Leonardo Di Caprio in the lead, and all the members of the Jury," said euronews reporter Frederic Ponsard, in Cannes. In all there are up to 20 films in competition and somewhere among them will be this year's Palme d'Or winner. More about: Cannes Film Festival 2013, Cinema, France