Cannes 2019: The complete list of Palme d'Or hopefuls

Cannes Film Festival is ready to return again this week, and this year, the list of contestants for the prestigious Palme d'Or are incredibly high profile. From the return of Quentin Tarantino with his 1969-set Once Upon A Time in Hollywood to Bong Joon-ho's Parasite and Jim Jarmusch's The Dead Don't Die, the list is littered with films tackling a variety of genres and topics.

Here's a complete list of the films that are in the running for the Palme d'Or:

1. The Dead Don't Die by Jim Jarmusch

Having a double honour of not only being the opening film at this year's Cannes, The Dead Don't Die is also the opening film of the festival itself. A zombie comedy, the film follows a trio of cops and a mortician who have to fight a small town besieged by zombies. It stars Adam Driver, Bill Murray and Tilda Swinton.

2. Atlantique by Mati Diop

The synopsis of the Senegalese drama film says: "In a suburb of Dakar that lies along the Atlantic coast, a futuristic-looking tower is about to be officially opened. The construction workers have not been paid for months. One night, the workers decide to leave the country by sea, in search of a brighter future. Among them is Souleiman, the lover of Ada. However, Ada is betrothed to another man. Days later, a fire ruins Ada's wedding and a mysterious fever starts to spread. Ada is unaware Souleiman has returned." It stars Mame Binesta and Tarore

3. Bacurau by Kleber Mendonça Filho and Juliano Dornelles

Bacurau, a Brazilian drama film, follows a small-time town of the same name in the Brazilian sertão where strange happenings begin to occur after its matriarch dies at the age of 94. It's part of the Queer Palm competition at Cannes.

4. A Hidden Life by Terrence Malick

A World War II historical drama, A Hidden Life follows the life of Franz Jägerstätter, an Austrian conscientious objector who was famously executed by the Third Reich in 1943 and declared a martyr and beatified by the Catholic church. It stars August Diehl as Franz.

5. Frankie by Ira Sachs

Frankie follows the lives of three generations who are grappling with a life-changing experience following a one-day trip Sintra, Portugal, a historic town known for its dense gardens and fairy-tale villas and palaces. The film stars Isabelle Huppert as Frankie and is part of the Queer Palm competition at Cannes.

6. Les Misérables by Ladj Ly

Les Misérables follows three members of an anti-crime brigade during the 2005 Paris riots who are overrun while attempting an arrest. It stars Damien Bonnard and is part of the feature directorial debute entry among the Palme d'Or competitors.

7. Oh Mercy! by Arnaud Desplechin

Oh Mercy! is set during a Christmas night in Roubaix, France, when a local police chief and a fresh recruit confront the murder of an elderly woman, with the neighbours of the victims being arrested for the crime. It stars Roschdy Zem as Daoud and is part of the Queer Palm competition at Cannes.

8. Once Upon a Time in Hollywood by Quentin Tarantino

The 9th and supposedly penultimate film of Quentin Tarantino is set in 1969, following the life of a television actor and his stunt double who embark on an odyssey to make a name for themselves in the film industry. The synopsis describes the film as a tribute to the final moments of Hollywood's golden age. It stars Leonardo DiCaprio and Brad Pitt.

9. Pain and Glory by Pedro Almodóvar

Pain and Glory follows a series of reencounters of Salvador Mallo, a filmmaker facing decline some physical, some through his memories. It features Antonio Banderas as Salvador Mallo and is part of the Queer Palm competition at Cannes.

10. Parasite by Boon Jong-ho

South Korean legend Boon Jong-ho returns to Cannes with Parasite, which follows Ki-taek and his unemployed family as they take a peculiar interest in the wealthy Park family, which leads them to get entangled in an unexpected incident. It stars Song Kang-ho, Boon's frequent collaborator, as Ki-taek.

11. Portrait of a Lady on Fire by Céline Sciamma

Little is known about the film other than what its synopsis tells, which is: "On an isolated island in Bretagne at the end of the eighteenth century, a female painter is obliged to paint a wedding portrait of a young woman."

12. Sibyl by Justine Triet

Sibyl, a psychotherapist, returns to her first passion: writing, but her newest patient Margot, a troubled up-and-coming actress, proves to be a source of inspiration that is far too tempting, which leads Sibyl to be more and more involved in Margot’s tumultuous life, reviving volatile memories that bring her face to face with her past. It stars Virgine Efira as Sybil.

13. Sorry We Missed You by Ken Loach

Sorry We Missed You follows Ricky and his family, who have been fighting an uphill struggle against debt since the 2008 financial crash find an chance to get back independence with a shiny new van and the chance to run a franchise as a self-employed delivery driver. The film stars Kris Hitchen as Ricky.

14. The Traitor by Marco Bellocchio

The Traitor follows the life of real-world Mafia pentito (informant) Tommaso Buscetta, the so-called "boss of the two worlds". The film stars Pierfrancesco Favino as Tommasco.

15. Gomera by Corneliu Porumboiu

A police officer comes to the Spanish island of La Gomera to learn the language of El Silbo and to free Zsolt, a controversial businessman arrested in Bucharest.

16. The Wild Goose Lake Lake by Diao Yinan

A gangster on the run sacrifices everything for his family and a woman he meets while on the lam. It stars Hu Ge and Liao Fan.

17. The Young Ahmed by Luc Dardenne and Jean-Pierre Dardenne

A Belgian teenager hatches a plot to kill his teacher after embracing an extremist interpretation of the Quran.

The other films in the running are Mektoub, My Love: Intermezzo by Abdellatif Kechiche and Little Joe by Jessica Hausner.