'Great Gatsby' stars dazzle despite damp Cannes opening

From L to R: Cast members Amitabh Bachchan, Isla Fisher, Joel Edgerton, director Baz Luhrmann, cast members Leonardo DiCaprio, Carey Mulligan, Tobey Maguire and Elizabeth Debicki pose during a photocall for the film 'The Great Gatsby' before the opening of the 66th Cannes Film Festival in Cannes May 15, 2013.[Photo/Agencies]

The Cannes film festival conjured up the "Roaring Twenties" on Wednesday with a glamorous opening night premiere of Baz Luhrmann's "The Great Gatsby", complete with dancers in flapper dresses on the red carpet and umbrellas to keep off the rain.

Jury member of the 66th Cannes Film Festival actress Nicole Kidman arrives on stage during the opening ceremony of the 66th Cannes Film Festival in Cannes May 15, 2013.[Photo/Agencies]

Nicole Kidman, a member of the jury at the biggest cinema gathering of the year, wore an off-white gown embroidered with spring flowers as she made her way into the Grand Theatre Lumiere past a wall of camera flashes and expectant fans.

"I'm going to blow away! I feel like Mary Poppins," the Australian actress joked.

She and eight other members of a panel led by Steven Spielberg must decide at the end of the 12-day festival who wins the coveted Palme d'Or for best picture, one of the most coveted movie honors outside the Oscars.

The cast of "The Great Gatbsy" arrived to loud cheers with all eyes on Leonardo DiCaprio, who plays mysterious millionaire Jay Gatsby in the flashy adaptation of F. Scott Fitzgerald's 1925 novel.

British actress Carey Mulligan, who plays the love interest Daisy, wore a low-cut, rose-colored dress, while Bollywood veteran Amitabh Bachchan, making his Hollywood debut in the film, sparkled in a black sequined dinner jacket.

Inside the huge theatre, and away from the rain, Spielberg received a standing ovation before introducing his jury.

"I expect to be surprised, I expect to be moved," he said, referring to the 20 movies vying for awards presented on May 26.

The choice of "The Great Gatsby", which is not in competition, for the prestigious opening night slot in Cannes surprised some as it is rare for the festival not to open with a world premiere.

Chinese beauties dazzle the red carpet at Cannes	Photocall for 'The Great Gatsby' in Cannes