French actorVincent Cassel will handle master of ceremoniesduties for the 59th Cannes Film Festival, organisers announced Wednesday.

Cassel's responsibilities will include overseeing the opening andclosing ceremonies.

It is uncommonfor the festival to choose a master, rather than a mistress, though Cassel's selection does keep things in thefamily. His wife, actress Monica Bellucci, held the same post in 2003.

Cassel's international star has been rising over the past few yearswith roles in Shekhar Kapur'sElizabeth and last year's Ocean's Twelve.

The actor is also well knownin Cannes for his roles in Mathieu Kassovitz's La Haine, a competitorin 1995, and Gaspar Noe'scontroversial Irreversible, which hada Cannes debut in 2002.