More on movies now, as we head to the Cannes Film Festival. Like Sylvester Stallone in the 'Rocky' franchise, Robert DeNiro, famed for playing a boxer, is now playing a boxing trainer. "Hands of Stone" is based on the real-life story of the great Panamanian brawler, Roberto Duran. We hear from DeNiro now, and we take a look at two other films showing for the first time at Cannes.

Edgar Ramirez plays Duran, a world champion in four weight divisions over a career that spanned five decades. Duran rose from the slums of Panama to defeat an unbeaten Sugar Ray Leonard in 1980 and claim the WBC welterweight title, only to lose the rematch several months later in the infamous "no mas" fight.

The Academy Award-winning actor De Niro, who plays Duran's Hall of Fame trainer, Ray Arcel, was instrumental in getting the film made.

"Well it's just that I found myself, other than doing 'Raging Bull,' I mean this had a long evolution, if you will, until it finally got made. And it actually got made in the right way because before, it was going to go to Puerto Rico and certain investors; it wasn't right,"

"And I'll give myself the credit: I told Jonathan Jakubowicz 'go to Panama, go to the Panamanians, get some wealthy Panamanians, give them tax breaks as an incentive to do the movie'. And they did, and it worked much better. They had Duran, Duran was behind the film; they had the location. It was much better than doing it anywhere else but Panama, so it was all perfect. It worked out great for everybody," said Robert DeNiro.

"Hands of Stone" is showing out of competition at Cannes.

"Loving" - a revolutionary biracial marriage

Also premiering at Cannes is "Loving", Jeff Nichols' quiet drama about a profound and simple love that toppled interracial marriage restrictions in the United States.

The film stars Joel Edgerton as Richard Loving and Ruth Negga as Mildred. Their marriage got them jailed and exiled from the state of Virginia but ultimately led to a landmark 1967 Supreme-Court ruling on marriage equality.

Jarmusch film "Paterson"

And "Paterson", directed by Jim Jarmusch, is about a bus driver in Paterson, New Jersey, who writes poetry inspired by conversations he overhears.

Jarmusch was joined by the movie's stars Adam Driver and Golshifteh Farahani. Jarmusch will also debut his Iggy pop documentary, "Gimme Danger" at the festival.

"Loving" and "Paterson" are among the 21 films at Cannes competing for the festival's top Palme d'Or prize, to be announced at the close on Sunday, the 22nd May.