Sean Penn will lead awards jury at Cannes
PARIS (AP) -January 3, 2008 The festival's 61st edition 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.
British director Stephen Frears, known for "The Queen," "High
Fidelity" and "Dirty Pretty Things," led the jury last year that
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.
Penn won a best actor Oscar for "Mystic River" for his role as
an ex-hoodlum who reverts to his criminal ways to exact revenge for
his daughter's death.
He directed "Into The Wild," considered a front-runner for
major awards this year, about a young idealist whose journey to
Alaska ends in tragedy. He also starred as a death row inmate in
"Dead Man Walking."