Italian director Moretti to head Cannes jury
Italian actor and filmmaker Nanni Moretti will head the jury at this year's Cannes film festival, organisers announced Friday.
Moretti, 58, who succeeds American acting great Robert De Niro, has already presented six films at the prestigious international movie showcase, including last year's comedy “Habemus Papam” (We Have a Pope).
His “La stanza del figlio” (The Son's Room) won the Palme d'Or at the 2001 Cannes festival.
“It is a joy, an honour and a great responsibility to preside over the jury at the most prestigious cinema festival in the world, which takes place in a country which has always treated the cinema with attention and respect,” Moretti said in accepting the festival role, which will run from May 16-27.
“As an audience-member I happily conserve the same curiosity I had in my youth and therefore for me it's a great privilege to embark on this journey into contemporary global cinema,” he concluded, in comments released by the festival organisers.
The festival's general delegate Thierry Fremaux described the Italian filmmaker as “very high in my personal pantheon,” of movie greats.
Cannes has had three American presidents over the past four years and “it's good to get back to a European,” he told AFP.
Before De Niro last year, Tim Burton led the jury in 2010, French actress Isabelle Huppert was in charge in 2009, and Sean Penn had the role in 2008.
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