In one of the earliest announcements in recent memory, the Cannes Film Festival announced early Thursday morning Paris time the president of the jury for 2024. And, in something of a surprise, this year’s president is Greta Gerwig, a soon-to-be multiple Oscar nominee for the 2023 blockbuster “Barbie.” Gerwig is the first woman to lead the jury since Cate Blanchett in 2018 and the second American this decade after Spike Lee presided over the first post-pandemic jury in 2021.
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In a statement from the festival, Gerwig says, ““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. Being in the place of vulnerability, in a dark theatre filled with strangers, watching a brand-new film is my favorite 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!”
The 2023 jury president was “Triangle of Sadness” director and two-time Palme d’Or winner Ruben Östlund who, like Gerwig, was in the middle of an Oscar campaign when he was announced in February of this year.
While only three women have won the Palme d’Or, the festival has a much better track record when it comes to female jury presidents. The first was Olivia de Havilland in 1965. She was followed the following year by Sophia Loren. Notable female filmmakers to lead the jury include Jane Campion and Jeanne Moreau. Gerwig is the 10th American to lead the jury this century after David Lynch, Quentin Tarantino, Sean Penn, Tim Burton, Robert De Niro, Steven Spielberg, Joel and Ethan Coen, and the aforementioned Lee.
Thierry Frémaux, the director of the Cannes Film Festival, has remarked in the past that some years are harder than others to recruit a jury. The fact Gerwig has been selected this year may mean the head of the festival is getting more initial “oui” responses than in recent years. The 2023 competition jury was not revealed until a little over two weeks before the beginning of the 76th edition of the festival.
As a filmmaker, Gerwig’s credits include “Little Women” and “Lady Bird.” As an actress, Gerwig has appeared in “Greenberg,” “Frances Ha,” “Lola Versus,” “Maggie’s Plan” and “Jackie.” She’s credited as a screenwriter on Disney’s live-action version of “Snow White” which was recently pushed to a 2025 release.
The 77th Festival de Cannes will take place between May 14 and 25, 2024.