Penelope Cruz and Martin Scorsese launch the 2018 Cannes Film Festival at Vanity Fair’s table

The 71st Cannes Film Festival is officially underway. Still everyone knows it, the experience isn’t complete until you have visited the Terrasse by Albane Cleret on the JM Marriott’s roof. This Wednesday, it hosted the now traditional Vanity Fair France dinner in partnership with Chanel. At nightfall, the Festival’s crème de la crème gathered for a cocktail party before a very private dinner. While they declared the Festival open a few hours before, Martin Scorsese and jury president Cate Blanchett wouldn’t have missed the event for the world. Same goes for the radiant Penelope Cruz, who was notably seen on Karl Lagerfeld’s arm. Chanel brand ambassador Kristen Stewart took her seat at the table while Festival staples Chloë Sevigny, Mads Mikkelsen, Gaspard Ulliel or Sébastien Tellier had every photographer’s attention. Tellier punctuated the evening with a piano concert before everyone joined to keep the party going at Club by Albane. This was a very electric first evening, and it surely announces many more to come…