Following her first-ever best director nomination at the Golden Globes, Greta Gerwig has been appointed as the Jury President for the 2024 Cannes International Film Festival, marking a historic moment as the first American female director to preside over the Cannes Jury. The official announcement from Cannes described Gerwig as a “heroine of our modern times” who challenges the status quo between a highly codified cinema industry and an era demanding greater scrutiny.
The festival organizers praised Gerwig for her ability to combine elements previously deemed incompatible, such as delivering arthouse blockbusters, narrowing the gap between art and industry, and exploring contemporary feminist issues with depth. The announcement recognized her recurrent leitmotifs in artistic endeavors, such as family upheaval, adolescent rites of passage, and the exploration of fear and artistic vocation through free, sometimes fragile, and marginal characters.
Greta Gerwig’s appointment follows in the footsteps of Jane Campion, who presided over the Cannes Jury in 2014, making her the second female director to hold this post in Cannes history. Gerwig’s role as Jury President is seen as an obvious choice, as she represents the renewal of world cinema and an era breaking down barriers and mixing genres, embodying the values of intelligence and humanism.
Despite the acclaim, this will be Gerwig’s first official appearance on the Cannes red carpet, as none of her directorial films have premiered at the French festival. Gerwig expressed her excitement and humility about serving as the Cannes Film Festival Jury President, emphasizing her love for films and the universal language of movies. Cannes Festival President Iris Knobloch and Artistic Director Thierry Frémaux acknowledged Gerwig’s audacious embodiment of the renewal of world cinema.
Greta Gerwig’s career has encompassed acting, screenwriting, and directing. She co-wrote films like “Hannah Takes the Stairs” and “Frances Ha” before making her solo directing debut with the acclaimed “Lady Bird” in 2017. Her 2023 film “Barbie” became the highest-grossing film of the year, earning over $1.4 billion and receiving acclaim during awards season. The 77th Cannes Film Festival is scheduled to run from May 14 to May 25, 2024.
Post Your Comments