Danish director Lone Scherfig and Australian actress Miranda Otto have joined the judging panel for the official competition of this year’s Sydney Film Festival (June 3-14).

Rolf de Heer (Ten Canoes) was previously announced as the jury president. Scherfig’s last film, An Education, is set to close the festival on June 14 in an out-of-competition slot. The coming-of-age story set in 1960s suburban London stars Peter Sarsgaard, Carey Mulligan and Emma Thompson.

Otto is best known internationally for her role on two of the films in The Lord Of The Rings trilogy and next appears in Australian director Ana Kokkinos’s Blessed, which has its world premiere at the Melbourne International Film Festival in July.

“Miranda Otto and Lone Scherfig will bring great intelligence and integrity to determining the winner of the Sydney Film Prize from the 12 courageous, audacious and cutting-edge films in the line-up,” said festival director Clare Stewart upon announcing their involvement.

Two additional jury members will be announced before the festival opening night on June 3. It is only the second year that the Sydney Film Festival has staged a competition and the winner will take home a $47,000 (A$60,000) cash prize, the largest offered for film in Australia.

The opening film is Ken Loach’s Looking For Eric and the 12-title competition also includes titles such as Rachel Ward’s Beautiful Kate, Khoa Do’s Missing Water and Tsai Ming-liang’s Face.

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