The Cannes Film Festival began in 1946 and has been held every year since to celebrate and reward the great actors, directors and writers of the time.

This year is no different. The Cannes Film Festival will be taking place from the 11th - 22nd of May and with over 80 films being screened over the 12 days the big question is, which are the ones to watch?

Tipped to be one of the most successful films at the years festival is The Tree of Life. Written and directed by Terrence Malick, it is one of the most anticipated films from the Festival's line-up.

Malick is renowned for the large time periods between his film releases, and this time is no different. It has been five years since his last release, and although that is nothing compared to the 20 year time lapse between Days of Heaven (1978) and The Thin Red Line (1998), the wait has tortured his fans.

His latest instalement centres around a family with three sons in the 1950's. The storyline follows the eldest child, Jack (Sean Penn), through his life and witnesses his loss of the innocence that being a child brings.

His parents conflicting views of the world lead Jack to become a lost soul in his adult life, searching for something more to life. After discovering the his lifes purpose, Jack is able to forgive his father (Brad Pitt) and take his first steps on the path of life.