Two very different directors- Gus Van Sant and Stephen Woolley - hit Cannes today with films inspired bythe deaths of rock stars.

Van Sant's Last Days was originally meant to be a full blown biography ofNirvana frontman Kurt Cobain, the director explained at a press conference forthe competition film.

"But I saw it might be awrong turn for me, so I ended up paring it down to the last couple of days."The resulting film, he said, is inspired by Cobain.

His last three films, headded, had all been about particular deaths: "Death by exposure in Gerry, death at somebody else's hand in Elephant and death by your own hand in Last Days."

Meanwhile, veteran producerStephen Woolley - a Cannes habitue - makes his directorial debut with Stoned, a biopic about the death of the Rolling Stones'Brian Jones, which has its world premiere in the market on Saturday.

London-based sales andfinancing outfit Intandem Films has closed a raft of deals on Stoned, selling it to Presidio for Japan, bridge forBenelux, Roadshow for Greece, Lusomundo for Portugal and Lumiere for Brazil.

"It'smy first time here as a director," said Woolley at a press conference for thefilm with stars Leo Gregory (Jones) and Tuva Novotny. "I used to lovebeing here - it's a bit scarier now."