Cannes reveals 19-film line-up featuring Coppola and Cronenburg

Nineteen films have been picked to compete for the coveted Palme d'Or at the Cannes Film Festival in the south of France in May. The prize can give a major boost for arthouse films such as last year's winner Anatomy of a Fall that went on to win an avalanche of awards, including best original screenplay at the Oscars.

The 77th edition of the festival on the French Cote d'Azur, considered the most prestigious in the film industry, runs from May 14 to 25. 

This year's competition for the Palme d'Or, the festival's top prize, includes another team-up between Emma Stone and Greek director Yorgos Lanthimos – Kinds of Kindness – just weeks after Stone's Oscar win for their Frankenstein-style satire Poor Things.

The Apprentice, a biopic about the early years of Donald Trump by Iran-born director Ali Abbasi, is also expected to draw attention. 

And there's sure to be a buzz around Coppola's Megalopolis, that marks the return of The Godfather director to Cannes at the age of 85. 

'Honoured' to premier Coppola

Coppola has twice won the Palme d'Or – for The Conversation (1974) and, controversially, for Apocalypse Now, which was not even finished when it premiered at the festival in 1979.

The self-funded Megalopolis is said to be a Roman political drama transplanted to modern-day New York, featuring Adam Driver and Forest Whitaker. 

"We are overjoyed that he has done us the honour of coming to present this film," festival director Thierry Fremaux told reporters.

Just 4 female directors

The festival opens with Le Deuxième Acte (Second Act) by Quentin Dupieux, out of competition.

This year's jury is led by Barbie director Greta Gerwig, who "embodies perfectly the soul of the festival", said Cannes president Iris Knobloch.

Two highly topical films will have special screenings –La Belle de Gaza follows transsexual Palestinians moving to Israel, while The Invasion by Sergei Loznitsa centres on the war in his native Ukraine. 

The much-awaited Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga by George Miller is among those premiering, but out of competition.

Only 19 entries competing for the top prize were announced Thursday – there are usually around 22 – though more may be added. 

While the festival set a record last year in terms of female representation, with seven female directors in the official competition, this year only four out of the 19 entries are directed by women. 

Films in competition for Palme d'Or (Golden Palm):

Premiering at Cannes but out of competition:

Competing in the Un certain regard festival, presided by Xavier Dolan:

(With AFP)