By Erica Abeel

Take it as a sign of some general anxiety disorder gripping the planet, but Cannes 2008 kicked off on a distinctly somber note. In "Blindness," the fest opener by Fernando Meirelles, civilization as we know it goes to hell and back when a group of urbanites in an unnamed city succumb to an epidemic of mysterious blindness. Only a character known as The Doctor's Wife (Julianne Moore, in a powerful turn) remains immune to the malady. Finding herself a leader in a world of savagery and chaos, she helps forge a new form of community that takes the film to a happier place (cue Kumbaya on the soundtrack).

Based on the celebrated allegorical novel by José Saramago, the film displays the ability first demonstrated by Meirelles in "City of God" to choreograph large groups of beleaguered folks through explosive situations. He's ably assisted by an international cast — who were coached by an expert in blindness — that also includes Mark Ruffalo, Danny Glover, Gael Garcia Bernal, and Alice Braga. In adapting this story, Meirelles confronted a daunting new task: finding an equivalent in cinema, the visual art par excellence, to convey the milky white sightlessness visited on his characters. Add to this the challenge of both bringing a human face to nameless characters who are generic stand-ins for humankind and striking a balance between gripping drama and the wider philosophical connotations of blindness intended by Saramago.

Whether or not Meirelles successfully met these challenges has been a hot topic of debate on the Croisette. I sat down to speak with the engaging, forthcoming filmmaker following the premiere of his film.

The third annual Cannes Cam is a go — check it out for a live, 24/7 stream of the red carpet of the 2008 Cannes Film Festival. IFC News host Matt Singer will be around for all of the major premieres, providing commentary along with a rotating cast of special guests that includes New York Times critic A.O. Scott, Alamo Drafthouse founder Tim League and Variety's Anne Thompson.

You can find the Cannes Cam here.