Italian director and Cannes regular, who won the Palme d’Or with The Son’s Room in 2001, to preside over 65th edition of festival.

The Cannes Film Festival has announced Italian director Nanni Moretti will be the president of the jury at it 65th edition, running May 16-27.

“The festival wanted to celebrate its 65th season with a European jury president. 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,” festival director Thierry Frémaux said.

Moretti said it was a “real joy, honour and tremendous responsibility” to preside over the jury.

“As a director, I was always moved when my films were presented at the Cannes Film Festival. I also have very happy memories of my experience as a jury member during the fiftieth anniversary season and of the attentiveness and passion that went into the jury’s viewing and discussion of the films,” said the 59-year-old director.

“As a spectator, fortunately I still have the same curiosity that I had in my youth and so it is a great privilege for me to embark on this voyage into the world of contemporary international film,” he added.

Moretti has screened six films at Cannes, starting with Ecce Bombo in 1978.

“When we decided to put Ecce Bombe – a super 8 film – into competition when I first arrived in 1978, it was because I had a premonition that Nanni Moretti would soon become NANNI MORETTI. This is what happened and I am so gratified to have had this long and affectionate collaboration,” said Cannes president Gilles Jacob.

In 1994, Moretti won best director at the festival for (Caro Diario) and clinched the Palme d’Or for best film with The Son’s Room (La stanza del figlio) in 2001.

The Caiman (Il Caimano) — Moretti’s harsh critique of Italian politics in the era of Silvio Berlusconi — screened at Cannes in 2006.

Last year, Habemus Papam, was unveiled at festival.  

As well as directing, Moretti also produces and distributes in Italy under the Sacher Film banner – a reference to his favourite Sacher Torte cake — and also runs the art-house cinema Nuovo Sacher in Rome. 

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