Juliette Binoche Will Be the President of the Jury at the 78th Cannes Film Festival
The French actor succeeds Greta Gerwig.
For four decades, Juliette Binoche has embodied a certain idea of cinema, one that is free and universal. This May, 40 years after her first appearance on the Croisette, the French actor will chair the Jury of the 78th Cannes Film Festival, succeeding American director Greta Gerwig, famously behind Barbie.
"I'm looking forward to sharing these life experiences with the members of the Jury and the public. In 1985, I walked up the steps for the first time with the enthusiasm and uncertainty of a young actress; I never imagined I'd return 40 years later in the honorary role of President of the Jury. I appreciate the privilege, the responsibility and the absolute need for humility," she said in a statement.
In 1985, Binoche climbed the steps for the first time for Rendez-vous by André Téchiné, a role that revealed her unique talent. Forty years later, she returns as President of the Jury, appreciating all that this role entails.
For the second time in the film festival's history, two women are passing on this prestigious torch.
Binoche is an elusive actor, defying categories and expectations. Her appetite for diverse experiences bursts forth in Abbas Kiarostami's Certified Copy, which earned her the Best Actress Award at Cannes in 2010. This film, shot in Tuscany under the direction of an Iranian director, opposite a British opera singer, symbolizes her taste for blending cultures and sensibilities. Binoche's career has been punctuated by encounters with the greatest filmmakers in the world: Michael Haneke, David Cronenberg, Abel Ferrara, Olivier Assayas, Leos Carax, Claire Denis, Amos Gitaï, Naomi Kawase, Hirokazu Kore-eda, and more. This constellation of talents have nourished her quest for authenticity and desire to constantly explore new facets of acting.
Beyond cinema, Juliette Binoche is a committed woman. Defending human rights, supporting immigrants, fighting for the environment: she never hesitates to speak out for causes close to her heart. In 2010, for example, on stage at the Cannes Film Festival, she raised the name of Iranian filmmaker Jafar Panahi, imprisoned by his government. Her commitments echo those of Olivia de Havilland, the first woman to chair the Cannes Jury in 1965, paving the way for Sophia Loren the following year. Six decades later, Binoche continues this legacy by uniting, through her art and her stance, the stars of the past and those of tomorrow.
On May 24, Binoche and her jury will award the Palme d'Or, rewarding excellence that represents the very essence of cinema.
