The Cannes Film Festival has confirmed that De-lovely, a musical biography of American composer Cole Porter directed by Irwin Winkler, will close the festival on May 22.

The MGM film will screen in official selection, out-of-competition.

De-lovely stars Kevin Kline, Ashley Judd, and Jonathan Pryce as well as music stars Alanis Morissette, Robbie Williams, Lara Fabian, Natalie Cole, Sheryl Crow, Elvis Costello, and Diana Krall.

In De-lovely, Porter looks back on his life as if it was one of his spectacular stage shows, with the people and events of his life becoming the actors and action on a stage.

After the De-lovely premiere, Cannes will celebrate the 80th anniversary of MGM.

The tribute, in which MGM vice-chairman and COO Chris McGurk will take part, will be followed by fireworks at end of the screening and a live concert which will be given in the bay of Cannes featuring several music stars from the film. The concert will launch the Award Party that will end late that night.

The festivities are part of a move by Cannes to boost the profile of the last days of the festival. The official awards ceremony will also take place on the Saturday night, instead of the traditional Sunday when many exhausted executives and festival attendees had already packed their bags and left.

Director Irwin Winkler presented his first film, Guilty by Suspicion, in official selection in Cannes in 1989.

On the following day, The Closing Ceremony will be dedicated to the screening of the Palme d'Or winner.