Italian filmmaker Nanni Moretti to head Cannes film festival jury

PanARMENIAN.Net - Italian actor and filmmaker Nanni Moretti will head the jury at this year's Cannes film festival, organizers announced Friday, Jan 20, AFP reported.

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 honor 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 organizers.

The festival's general delegate Thierry Fremaux described the Italian filmmaker as "very high in my personal pantheon," of movie greats.

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.

Moretti was born on the August 19, 1953. He lives in Rome, where since he was a kid he devotes himself to his two passions: cinema and water-polo. In 1970 he also played in water-polo first division in Italy, and in the junior National team. In those years he was also very committed in politics, within the extra-parliament left wing. Once finished high school studies, he sold his stamps collection to buy a super8 cinema camera, using which he started shooting home-made short films with his friends in 1973. His professional movie-making career starts with Ecce bombo (1978). This was also his first nation-wide success, and still a cult-movie for many Italians.