The jury members pose for photographers. (From left) Agnes Varda, Emir Kusturica, Salma Hayek, Javier Bardem, Nandita Das, Benoit Jacquot.

Belgian actress Cecile de France introduced the jury, while Hollywood director Alexander Payne (About Schmidt, Sideways) and India's Aishwarya Rai inaugurated the festival. This is a first for an Indian actor!

The opening night film was Lemming, directed by Dominik Moll. The French movie explores the bizarre turn of events after a young couple discover a rodent stuck in their sink pipe.

The festival will also showcase, for the first time, an Iraqi film in competition. Kilometre Zero is set in 1988, during the Iraq-Iran war.