Now in exile, the director recently told AFP of the "horror, sadness, shame, pain" he felt about the invasion of Ukraine, which he said was an act of "self-killing" by the Russian government.
Elsewhere, the festival will celebrate the return of "Mad Max" creator George Miller, who returns with "Three Thousand Years of Longing", a different beast for the Australian director, featuring Idris Elba as a djinn.
And actor-director Ethan Hawke will add to the nostalgic feel of the fortnight with his new series, "The Last Movie Stars", about 1960s Hollywood golden couple Paul Newman and Joanne Woodward.
This year's honorary Palme d'Or will be presented to US actor Forest Whitaker, best known for his Oscar-winning turn in "The Last King of Scotland".
