In a groundbreaking announcement, Greta Gerwig, the visionary filmmaker behind the blockbuster hit "Barbie", has been appointed as the President of the Jury for the 2024 Cannes Film Festival. Gerwig, whose recent cinematic triumph has garnered both critical acclaim and substantial box office success, is set to make history as the first American female director to lead the esteemed Cannes jury.

Photos: Collected

Gerwig's latest directorial venture, "Barbie", not only grossed an impressive USD 1.4 billion globally but also secured nine Golden Globe nominations, affirming its status as a cultural phenomenon. The Warner Bros production, released on July 19, quickly became a beloved classic and the highest-grossing film worldwide in the year of its release. With its remarkable achievements, "Barbie" is also poised to receive multiple Oscar nominations, marking a significant milestone for Gerwig in her directorial career.

The accomplished filmmaker, who has attended Cannes alongside her partner Noah Baumbach in the past, expressed her excitement about the prestigious role in a statement. "I love films – I love making them, I love going to them, I love talking about them. As a cinephile, Cannes has always been the pinnacle of what the universal language of movies can be," Gerwig said.

"Being in a place of vulnerability, in a dark theatre filled with strangers, watching a brand-new film is my favourite place to be. I am stunned and thrilled, and humbled to be serving as the president of the Cannes Film Festival Jury. I cannot wait to see what journeys are in store for all of us!"

At the age of 40, Greta Gerwig is set to become the youngest person to assume the role of Cannes jury president since Sophia Loren, who presided over the jury at the age of 31 in 1966. Gerwig followed in the footsteps of esteemed female directors like Jane Campion in 2014 and Olivia de Havilland, who served as Cannes' first female jury president in 1965.

Read more

Hayao Miyazaki secures first Golden Globes nod

Cannes' president Iris Knobloch and general delegate Thierry Frémaux praised the selection of Gerwig, stating, "This is an obvious choice since Greta Gerwig so audaciously embodies the renewal of world cinema, for which Cannes is each year both the forerunner and the sounding board." They added, "Beyond the seventh art, she is also the representative of an era that is breaking down barriers and mixing genres, and thereby elevating the values of intelligence and humanism."

As the film industry continues to evolve, Greta Gerwig's appointment as the president of the 2024 Cannes Film Festival Jury signals a progressive shift. It celebrates her significant contributions to cinema as both a director and a trailblazing figure for women in the industry. The global film community eagerly anticipates the unique perspectives and insights she will bring to one of the most prestigious film festivals in the world.