Olympic Flame Ascends Cannes Steps for Paris 2024

The Olympic flame for the Paris 2024 Games ascended the red-carpeted steps at the 77th Cannes Film Festival, carried by a cast of elite athletes dressed in formal attire.

Set to the iconic "Chariots of Fire" score often used at Olympic medal ceremonies, the athletes emerged around 6:05 pm local time to cheers from the crowd and camera flashes.

Ninety-nine days before the Paralympic Games August 28 - September 8, four athletes from Paralympic disciplines had the honor of bearing the torch.

Arnaud Assoumani, 2008 Paralympic long jump champion, began the ascent in a suit and bowtie, holding aloft the metallic torch. He was followed by Alexis Hanquinquant, Tokyo 2020 Paralympic triathlon gold medalist, Nelia Barbosa, Paralympic kayak vice-champion, and Marie Patouillet, double Paralympic cycling bronze medalist.

Welcomed by festival delegate Thierry Fremaux, Paris 2024 organizing committee president Tony Estanguet, and athletes Marie-José Perec, Thierry Rey and Iliana Rupert, they then raised the Olympic emblem before departing.

Befitting the cinematic event, the stair climb was an occasion to reveal who will direct the official Olympic film ahead of the July 26 opening ceremony through August 11.

Following was a screening of Mickael Gamrasni's documentary "Olympians! France of the Games," revisiting over a century of French Olympic participation since 1896.

Twenty-seven French Olympic and Paralympic champions including Brahim Asloum, Felicia Ballanger, David Douillet, Guy Drut, Laura Flessel and Laure Manaudou gave testimonials in the film narrated by actress Marion Cotillard.