Held in high regard as a pivotal role within the celebrated Cannes Film Festival, a position on the jury panel entrusted with determining the illustrious Palme d’Or recipient stands as a feat nearly as venerated as clinching the award itself. The jury’s composition is a global mosaic, spotlighting renowned artists who have etched their legacies in their respective crafts. Charged with this eminent responsibility for the festival’s 77th edition is a panel of nine esteemed individuals, chaired by a notable president.
Photographs courtesy of Yara Nardi capture the poised Greta Gerwig, the 77th Cannes Film Festival’s Jury President, alongside fellow jury member Lily Gladstone, as they grace the balcony of the prestigious Hotel Martinez. Gerwig’s latest directorial achievement, “Barbie,” has propelled her into the limelight. At the age of 40, the U.S. director holds the honor of being the first female director from her country to head the jury, inheriting the mantle from Ruben Östlund, 2023’s jury leader and recipient of the Palme d’Or on two occasions.
Shining in the wake of her celebrated performance in Martin Scorsese’s “Killers of the Flower Moon,” Lily Gladstone has surmounted barriers as the first Native American woman to earn an Oscar nomination and claim a Golden Globe award. Her return to Cannes comes adorned with these significant achievements.
Turkish talent Ebru Ceylan is no stranger to the Cannes landscape. A scribe for “Winter Sleep,” the victor of the 2014 Palme d’Or, Ceylan’s maiden short film “On the Edge” debuted at Cannes in 1998. Her cinematic contributions, such as co-writing “About Dry Grasses,” “Three Monkeys,” and “The Wild Pear Tree,” have recurrently featured in the festival’s main competition.
Eva Green and Pierfrancesco Favino partake in the anticipatory prelude to the opening ceremony, captured in yet another snapshot by Yara Nardi. Green, a French actress known for her role in “Casino Royale,” boasts an eclectic body of work spanning from Ridley Scott’s “Kingdom of Heaven” to “Nocebo” and the dramatic realms of television with “Penny Dreadful.”
As for Pierfrancesco Favino, he combines a prominent presence in Italian cinema with a parallel career in Hollywood. Accolades and familiarity with Cannes are not new for him, having been associated with films such as “The Traitor” and “Nostalgia” featured in the festival’s competitive selections.
One can perceive the artistry of Juan Antonio Bayona in his craft when noting his twelve Goya Awards, Spain’s highest film honor. The director first garnered international acclaim with the horror film “The Orphanage” in 2007, supported by Guillermo del Toro. His recent project, “Society of the Snow,” has not only been a success on Netflix but also secured an Oscar nod for best international feature film.
Meanwhile, Nadine Labaki from Lebanon joins the jury following the extensive success of her film “Capernaum”, which secured Golden Globe, BAFTA, and Academy Award nominations. Her ties with Cannes are steeped in history, and her latest role as a jury member only extends her list of accolades.
And then there’s Hirokazu Kore-eda, esteemed for seizing the 2018 Palme d’Or with his film “Shoplifters,” which also competed for an Oscar. After his screenplay claimed top honors for “Monster” at the previous year’s festival, the acclaimed Japanese director returns as a main competition jury member.
Rounding off this distinguished amalgam is the French actor Omar Sy, well-regarded for his César-winning performance in “The Intouchables” and a repertoire comprising blockbuster achievements. His experience with “X-Men: Days of Future Past” and “Jurassic World” is complemented by his participation in the 2022 Un Certain Regard section opener at Cannes, “Father & Soldier.”
This assembly of cinematic visionaries, who will deliberate the merits of the year’s finest cinematic offerings, embodies the rich tapestry of global storytelling. They will contribute their unique perspectives to ultimately decide who will be anointed with the prestigious Palme d’Or at the conclusion of the 77th Cannes Film Festival.
