This is a visual history of the worlds greatest film festival, the Cannes festival, from its beginnings in 1939 to the present day. It includes a beautiful collection of portraits of the greatest film stars, actors and directors from around the world. It provides 600 photographs taken by three generations of photographers from the Traverso family. From Louis Lumiere to Quentin Tarantino, Grace Kelly to Penelope Cruz, all the greatest film-makers and stars are immortalized here. It gives a warm and personal approach to the development of the festival and that of cinema. Each portrait is accompanied by a short and anectotal text written by Serge Toubiana, Director of the Cinematheque Francaise.