Sony Inaugurates Cannes Exhibit Celebrating 100 Years Of Columbia Pictures & Its Iconic Female Stars – Exclusive Photos

To celebrate the 100th anniversary of Columbia Pictures, the municipality of Cannes is presenting a free photographic exhibition titled “Lighting the Way: From the Torch Lady to Leading Ladies.” The exhibit was inaugurated Friday by Sony Pictures Motion Picture Group president Sanford Panitch, who was introduced by Cannes Deputy Mayor Thomas de Pariente on the newly refurbished Cours Félix Faure.

Also in attendance were Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire co-writer and producer Jason Reitman as well as Sony Pictures Classics chiefs Michael Barker and Tom Bernard.

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Among the photos (scroll through our exclusive gallery below) are snaps highlighting legendary actresses from Hollywood’s Golden Age and beyond including Katherine Hepburn, Deborah Kerr, Claudette Colbert, Ann-Margret, Meryl Streep, Viola Davis, Julia Roberts, Michelle Yeoh and Rita Hayworth. A restored version of Hayworth’s Gilda is screening this evening as part of the Cannes Film Festival’s Cannes Classics program.

Said Panitch this afternoon, “It’s great to be here in Cannes, we think of it as the first city of cinema. These rare photos, culled from our Columbia archives, portray many of the studio’s most iconic female stars, past and present, and in so doing, reinforce the everlasting, timeless power of movies, and the impact these very special ladies have had on audiences throughout the world… We are very proud of our history and delighted to be able to share some of it with this fine city.”

The exhibit will run to June 10.

Check out the photos below.