The Cannes film festival is to subsidise the attendance of more than fifty young French film-makers at this year's festival, with the initiative expanding to include European film-makers next year.

With the support of the Cannes hotel and restaurant owners' unions, the film-makers only have to pay Euros 115 towards travel and accommodation expenses (including the two-way train tickets, five nights in a 2 or 3 stars hotel as well as a meal per day in one of the restaurants participating in the scheme).

In order to benefit from this opportunity to attend the festival's various events and screenings (valid for one week, either May 16-20 or May 21-25) the applicants must have already directed (or written the script for) one feature film.

Candidates must apply before March 15 and the names of the recipients are to be announced March 30.