Film director Sean Penn is to head this year's Cannes Film Festival awards jury, organizers announced today. The 61st edition of the festival is scheduled for May 14-25.
Penn said in a statement "that a new generation of filmmaking may have begun," citing "increasingly thoughtful, provocative, moving, and imaginative films by talented filmmakers" in what appeared to be "a rejuvenation of cinema building worldwide."
"The Cannes Film Festival has long been the epicenter in the discovery of those new waves of filmmakers from all over the world. I very much look forward to participating in this year's festival as president of the jury," Penn said.
The festival's artistic director Thierry Fremaux, said: "Penn represents the independent American cinema as well as a vision of America that we like."
After three nominations, the actor finally won his best actor Oscar in 2004 for Mystic River. He also directed 2007's critically acclaimed Into the Wild.
British director Stephen Frears, known for "The Queen," "High Fidelity" and "Dirty Pretty Things," led the jury that last year awarded the top prize to Romanian director Cristian Mungiu for "4 Months, 3 Weeks and 2 Days," a harrowing portrait of an illegal abortion in Communist-era Romania.
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