THE stars of The Da Vinci Code put on brave smiles as they graced the red carpet last night hours after the year’s most eagerly-awaited movie received stinging reviews.

The world premiere of the controversial movie The Da Vinci Code will open the 59th Cannes Film Festival today.

It isn't, strictly speaking, an Irish film - it's Irish-UK-Italian-German-Spanish - but Brit director Ken Loach's story of the War of Independence, The Wind That Shakes The Barley, will be one of the 19 films in competition at the coming 59th Cannes Film Festival (May 17-28).