There's a Gallic flamboyance to Baz Luhrmann's Red Curtain trilogy that evokes the spirit of the musicals of Renoir, Resnais and Demy. Little wonder then that the Aussie auteur was invited to give the 2001 festival a high-kicking start with his interpretation of the Orpheus myth. Strictly Ballroom had been rapturously received at Cannes in 1992, but whether it was the over-caffeinated editing or Ewan McGregor's singing, the movie couldn't quite match the majesty of Jean Renoir's Cancan, Cannes' Moulin Rouge benchmark. However, it did provide the festival with plenty of sparkle, both on screen and - thanks to the presence of Kidman, McGregor et al - on the Croisette.