Wes Anderson's 'Moonrise Kingdom' to Open the Cannes Film Festival

Wes Anderson’s Moonrise Kingdom has been tapped to open the 65th Cannes Film Festival, artistic director Thierry Fremaux announced Friday.

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Anderson’s new film, which stars Bruce Willis, Edward Norton, Bill Murray, Frances McDormand and Tilda Swinton, will kick off the fest on May 16.

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“Wes Anderson is one of the rising powers of American cinema, to which he brings a highly personal touch, particularly in Moonrise Kingdom, which once again is a testimony to the creative freedom in which he continues to evolve," Fremaux said. "Sensitive and independent, this admirer of Fellini and Renoir is also in his own right a brilliant and inventive filmmaker."

For the second year in a row, a film by an American director is opening the festival, which last year kicked off with Woody Allen's Midnight in Paris. Said festival president Gilles Jacob, "With Wes Anderson opening the 65th Festival de Cannes, young American cinema will be celebrated on the Croisette."

Anderson penned the original screenplay for Moonrise with Roman Coppola. The film, a production of Focus Features and Indian Paintbrush, was produced by Anderson, Scott Rudin, Steven Rales and Jeremy Dawson.

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Moonrise is scheduled to open in France via StudioCanal on May 16, day-and-date with a Cannes bow. It arrives stateside May 25 via Focus.

It will be the first visit to Cannes' famed red carpet for Anderson, whose films include 2007’s The Darjeeling Limited, 2001’s The Royal Tenenbaums and 1998’s Rushmore.

The full Cannes schedule will be announced April 19.