Almodóvar to Preside Over Cannes Jury

Extravagant Spanish filmmaker Pedro Almodovar will preside over the jury of Cannes Film Festival, which celebrates its 70th anniversary, its organizers announced on Tuesday.

"Cannes is delighted to welcome a unique and hugely popular artist. His work has already curved out an eternal niche in film history", said Pierre Lescure and Thierry Fremaux.

He is a director with 35 years of experience behind the scenes with films such as groundbreaking “Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown”, which picked an Oscar nomination in 1988.

Among the top actors and actresses of his one-of-a-kind universe of black humor, pop culture and sex are Penélope Cruz, Javier Bardem and Antonio Banderas.

The filmmaker, 67, said that he’d devote himself “body and soul” to his task as president of the jury and that he is “grateful, honored and a bit overwhelmed”.

The festival will run in the French city of Cannes from May 17 to 28.

Translated by Jorge Mesa Benjamin / Cubasi Translation Staff