Cannes through the years

Actress Brigitte Bardot running barefoot along the beach, Cannes, France, April 28th 1956 (Getty Images)

The annual film festival in Cannes was founded in 1946 and it is considered as the most prestigious film festival in the world.

It is held every year at the Palais des Festivals et des Congrès, usually in May.

The festival has become an important showcase for European cinematography. It offers an opportunity to present an individual country's image of its cinema as well as maintains the notion that European films are more 'artistic'.

Furthermore, considering its massive media exposure, the festival is attended by many celebrities and is a popular venue for film producers to launch their new projects and attempt to sell their works to the distributors who come from all over the globe.

Take a look at the best images from Cannes taken through the years.