American actor, director and producer Robert De Niro is president of the jury of the 64th Festival de Cannes, the French film festival to be held in May.
“The Cannes Film Festival is a rare opportunity for me as it is one of the oldest and one of the best in the world,” said De Niro. “Having served as President of the Jury in the eighties twice, I know this isn’t an easy task for me or my fellow jury members, but I’m very honored and happy to head the jury for this year’s Cannes Film Festival.”
The eight-member international jury is composed of actors, producers, writers, and directors from Argentina, Hong Kong, Norway, France, United Kingdom, Chad and the United States.
The 2011 jury includes actress Uma Thurman (USA), actor Jude Law (U.K.), actress and producer Martina Gusman (Argentina), producer Nansun Shi (China), writer and literary critic Linn Ullmann (Norway) , director Olivier Assayas (France), director Mahamat Saleh Haroun (Chad), and director and producer Johnnie To (China – Hong Kong).
“As co-founder of the Tribeca Film Festival and [Qatar’s] Doha Tribeca Film Festival, I have an increased appreciation for the jury who serve, undertaking an important role in choosing films that are represented in the world of film at its highest level,” he added. “These types of festivals help connect the international film community and have a lasting cultural impact.”
The Cannes Film Festival will be held May 11 to 22.