CANNES WATCH: 'The Hunger Games' lays down stakes

Associated Press
In this photo taken on Monday, May 12, 2014, a woman walking her dog looks at a Bugatti car and a poster for the “Hunger Games, Mockingjay: Part 1” at a hotel in Cannes, France. (AP Photo/Virginia Mayo)

CANNES, France (AP) — The "Hunger Games" is back in Cannes with a fiery billboard to promote the upcoming "Mockingjay: Part 1."

Just as the Lionsgate franchise did last year, it has blazed the front of the Majestic Barriere Hotel with a large video promotion. Even among the many advertisements erected at the Cannes Film Festival, the "Mockingjay" presence is eye-catching.

Lionsgate will also host a lavish party to promote the film, the first of a two-part final installment, on Saturday. The movie, starring Jennifer Lawrence as Katniss Everdeen, isn't due out until November, but Cannes offers a rare chance to capture the attention of the world's entertainment media.

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By Jake Coyle, AP Film Writer (Twitter: http://twitter.com/jake_coyle)