CANNES, France (AP) — The cacophony of the Cannes Film Festival was quieted Thursday by Todd Haynes' often wordless fable "Wonderstruck" and the young deaf actress who co-stars in it.

The debut of "Wonderstruck" was one of the most anticipated films of the festival. Haynes' follow-up to his much Oscar-nominated "Carol" has already been pegged as a possible Academy Awards contender.

"Wonderstruck" is based on the young-adult novel by Brian Selznick, whose 2007 book, "The Invention of Hugo Cabret," was turned into a film by Martin Scorsese. "Wonderstruck" follows parallel story lines across eras: an orphaned boy who runs away to New York in 1977, and Rose, a deaf girl in 1927, who also seeks something in New York.

Rose is played by Millicent Simmonds, a 14 year-old from Utah making her screen debut.