It’s arguably the biggest event in the film world calendar and it’s taking place in just a few months and now we’ve got our hands on the official Cannes Film Festival 2012 poster.

The poster for the event that takes place in the South of France between 16th – 27th May sees Marylin Monroe, herself the centre of one of the years biggest films, take centre stage blowing out a candle on the cake. So what’s the significance of the cake? Well it’s Cannes Film Festival’s 65th birthday this year and they’re obviously in the mood for celebrating. The original picture of Monroe was taken by Otto L. Bettmann many, many years ago and is now being used to advertise this years event.

Speaking of the poster an official statement was released saying, ‘On the occasion of its 65th anniversary, the Festival de Cannes pays tribute to Marilyn Monroe, selected as the icon of the 2012 Festival.

Fifty years after her death, Marilyn is still a major figure in world cinema, an eternal icon, whose grace, mystery and power of seduction remain resolutely contemporary.

Each of her screen appearances sparks the imagination. The Festival poster captures Marilyn by surprise in an intimate moment where myth meets reality – a moving tribute to the anniversary of her passing, which coincides with the Festival anniversary. She enchants us with this promising gesture: a seductively blown kiss. The Festival is a temple of glamour and Marilyn is its perfect incarnation. Their coming together symbolises the ideal of simplicity and elegance.’

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