France, April 10 -- Cannes Film Festival organisers have revealed the films competing for the coveted Palme d'Or prize on Thursday. Six women are among the 19 directors nominated, including the 2021 winner, French filmmaker Julia Ducournau with her new film Alpha.

Festival director Thierry Fremaux revealed the list of 19 films in the main competition at a press conference, accompanied by festival president Iris Knobloch, who promised the list would take people "to the moon and back".

Familiar names including American director Wes Anderson, Iran's Jafar Panahi and perennial favourites the Dardenne brothers from Belgium are among the 19 directors vying for the Palme d'Or at the event, which gets under way next month.

Anderson's The Phoen...