20/01/2012

The jury of the 65th season of the Cannes Film Festival (May 16 – 27, 2012) will be presided over by Italian filmmaker Nanni Moretti who succeeds America’s Robert De Niro in this role.

The director won the Golden Palm in 2001 for The Son’s Room [+see also:
trailer
film profile], the award for mise-en-scène in 1994 for Dear Diary and has taken part in the competition a further four times (in 1978, 1998, 2006 and last year with We Have A Pope [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Nanni Moretti
film profile]).

"It’s a pleasure, an honour and a great responsibility to preside over the jury of the most prestigious film festival in the world, which takes place in a country that has always treated cinema with consideration and respect" said Nanni Moretti. "As a director, I was always moved when my films were presented at the Cannes Film Festival. I also have very good memories of my experience as a member of the jury during the edition of the 50th anniversary Comme réalisateur, j'ai toujours vécu avec émotion la participation de mes films au Festival de Cannes. Je me souviens aussi avec bonheur de mon expérience en tant que membre du jury durant l'édition du cinquantenaire". As a spectator, luckily I have the same curiosity as when I was young, so it is a great privilege for me to embark on this journey of contemporary world cinema."

"The festival wanted to celebrate its 65th season with a European jury president " stressed Thierry Frémaux, the Delegate General of the Cannes Festival. "High-spirited and marked by his modernity and intelligence, Nanni Moretti’s films are the incarnation of all the best in cinema over the past thirty years. His constantly evolving work continues to keep the promise alive of a cinema that is in touch with the world and its times." An opinion shared by Gilles Jacob, The president of the Cannes event: "when we decided to put Ecce Bombo, a film in super 8 !, in competition when I arrived in 1978, it was because I sensed that Nanni Moretti was soon to become NANNI MORETTI. That is what happened and I have pleased about this long and affectionate collaboration."

(Translated from French)