With the unveiling of its 66th edition’s official poster the Cannes Festival pays tribute to Hollywood’s power to generate wonderment. This year’s bill features a photograph of Joanne Woodward and Paul Newman locked in a permanent kiss, as captured on set during the filming of “A new kind of love” (film was directed by Melville Shavelton; the year was 1963).

The couple, who met during filming, would go on to perform in eleven films together, with Newman directing his wife four times. “A couple which perfectly represents cinema’s spirit,” festival organizers commented on Friday. A Paris-based design agency edited the photo in order to render it into official poster, just like it had done with last year’s Marilyn Monroe poster.

An animated version of the poster released by the Cannes Festival has also been making the rounds of social media (see end of article).

As it were, Woodward-Newman’s history is closely tied to the festival’s own. In 1958, having just gotten married, they were on the red carpet in Cannes for the premiere of the first film which they shot together, “The long, hot summer,” directed by Martin Ritt. Newman would go on to direct his wife in several movies, like “Rachel, Rachel” and “The Glass Menagerie,” some of which premiered in Cannes. Their love for one another would continue until Newman’s death in 2008.

Newman was married twice. His first marriage was to Jackie Witte and lasted from 1949 to 1958. Together they had a son, Scott and two daughters, Susan Kendall and Stephanie. Scott Newman died in November 1978 from an accidental drug overdose. Newman started the Scott Newman Center for drug abuse prevention in memory of his son.

Newman married actress Woodward on January 29, 1958. They had three daughters: Elinor “Nell” Teresa, Melissa “Lissy” Stewart, and Claire “Clea” Olivia.

The original photo used for this year’s festival isn’t to be found online and is uncredited.

Woodward should be expected to attend this year’s Cannes Festival with specific events organized around her. She may even walk up the famous red carpet along with Baz Luhrmann and Leonardo Di Caprio, who will be in town to inaugurate “The Great Gatsby,” the festival’s opening movie.

SEE ALSO

Facebook gallery of Paul Newman and Joanne Woodward photos through the years

Spielberg in Cannes

[jwplayer config=”Default-Post-Player” mediaid=”15745″]