Irish rockers U2 blew away thousands of fans with a free live midnight show on the red carpet at the Cannes film festival, launching a 3D concert film.

Wearing a khaki Fidel Castro-style cap, purple round sunglasses and a military jacket, frontman Bono signed autographs before mounting the stage on the steps of Cannes' seaside cinema palace with the rest of the band.

"Bon anniversaire, Cannes!" he shouted in honour of the 60th birthday of the legendary festival, staging its debut rock concert.

"I have often slept on this beach," he added, still in French.

Spanish actor Javier Bardem, and Maria de Medeiros, who is on the Cannes prize jury, danced with the crowd to a 10-minute set that included the title song of their latest album, Vertigo, and their 1987 hit Where the Streets Have No Name.

The new film, premiering at Cannes, U2 3D, captures the band on tour in Latin America.

Shot with nine pairs of cameras in early 2006 and directed by Catherine Owens and Mark Pellington (Arlington Road), it is billed as the first concert movie filmed entirely in 3D.

It is intended to come as close as possible to the stadium experience.

The film is to run about 80 minutes when it is released later this year and cover 15 songs from the group's quarter-century career.

AFP