Cannes is back.

The lights are in position, the stars en route to the French Riviera. And Spike Lee鈥檚 face is peering out onto the Croisette from a huge banner announcing

The show is running 14 months late, thanks to the pandemic. And it鈥檚 about time for the city鈥檚 merchants, hoteliers and restaurateurs, who hope the return of the festival鈥檚 glamour and revenues heralds a broader renaissance for the region and France鈥檚 cultural world after an exceptionally damaging year.

鈥淲e lost all of the international conventions, congress, large events like the film festival. So we lost millions,鈥� Charles Richez, director of the Majestic Hotel, told The Associated Press. 鈥淲e鈥檙e very happy now to have the film festival again. It鈥檚 the beginning of the return of all the international events.鈥�

Cannes organizers are attempting the first full-scale film festival in the coronavirus era, despite worries about the delta variant which is spreading fast across Europe.

Virus infections in the Cannes area have been slightly lower than the national per capita average in recent weeks, and vaccinations are going slightly faster. But local officials have expressed concern that the opening up to foreigners puts tourist destinations like Cannes at new risk of outbreaks.

Masks are required at festival events, and attendees are required to test every 48 hours. But moviegoers can sit next to each other, and the festival has no virtual component.

Thierry Fr茅maux, artist director of the festival, addressed the press on the eve of opening day and described protocols that were evolving.

鈥淲e always said last year that if the festival was canceled, it was because the situation was more serious than the existence of a film festival also the biggest festival in the world,鈥� said Fremaux. 鈥淎nd the situation, as you know, was serious. It is not over. The epidemic is not conquered. But this year, we will have to be careful 鈥� be reasonable and be very careful. 鈥�

Visitors are trickling back to the city鈥檚 shoreline and families are frolicking on Cannes beaches as France鈥檚 summer vacation season kicks off this week. Tourists took selfies in front of the festival banner, unfurled Sunday and adorned with palm trees, seagulls and jury president Spike Lee鈥檚 trademark cap and glasses.

As workers give a final polish to the windows of the Palais de Festivals, there鈥檚 no sign that this temple of world cinema was lined with hospital beds early in the pandemic, or used as a 鈥渧accinodrome鈥� earlier this year.

But it鈥檚 still not quite a normal year. Cannes crowds are small so far, and restaurants have more empty tables. Some shopfronts remained boarded up.

A successful festival would be a boost for Cannes鈥� conservative mayor, who just won a re-election and earns outsized national attention for hosting the world鈥檚 cinema elite in his city of 75,000 that he calls a 鈥済lobal village.鈥�

It would also be a big relief for President Emmanuel Macron鈥檚 government, which flung open France鈥檚 doors to American and other foreign tourists just in time for the Cannes festival, after repeated surges of the virus took more than 111,000 lives and hammered the economy and health care system.

With infections France starting to tick up again after weeks of decline, authorities are urging more people to get vaccinated to avert a summer lockdown.

For 12 days at Cannes, though, the virus will take a back seat to glamour, intrigue and drama onscreen and off. Leos Carax鈥檚 musical 鈥淎nnette鈥� opens the event Tuesday, followed by films by Wes Anderson, Sean Penn and filmmakers from around the world. Some were official selections last year for a festival that never happened.

鈥淲e just want to work,鈥� said Enzo Comme, manager of a Cannes cafe called New. 鈥淲e don鈥檛 want aid from the government 鈥� we just need to open, to work and then afterward, if it鈥檚 possible, we want to take off these masks.鈥�

鈥擭icolas Garriga And Adam Egan, The Associated Press