Moretti to head Cannes

Nanni Moretti one of Italy’s most loved filmmakers – both by the critics and audience has again been lauded – but this time by the French who have just announced that Moretti will head the jury at this year's Cannes Film Festival.

Moretti who in 2006 controversially withdrew from his role as Artistic Director of the Turin Film Festival, when he discovered that some board members were not in favour of his appointment, has enjoyed notable success with a collection of films that swing between pathos and humour, wit and harsh criticism, as emphatically as Moretti himself did when he resigned from his role in Turin only two days after accepting the appointment. Saying at the time: "With great pain I give up the job and leave you to your... personal grudges.”

Moretti has enjoyed great success in Cannes as a filmmaker, where in 1978, he was selected in competition for his second movie, Ecce Bombo. Three years later, he received the Special Jury Prize in Venice for Sogni d’Oro (Golden Dreams). > Caro Diario (Dear Diary) was presented in Competition at the Festival de Cannes in 1994 (where it won the Prize for Best Director) and La Stanza del figlio (The Son’s Room), winning the Palme d’Or in 2001, whilst Il Caimano (The Caiman) in 2006 was one of the audience favourites.

Of his new role with Cannes, Moretti has enthused about the festival, saying: “This is a real joy, an honour and a tremendous responsibility to preside over the jury of the most prestigious festival of cinematography in the world, a festival that is held in a country where film has always been treated with interest and respect.

As a director, I was always very moved when my films were presented at the Festival de Cannes. I also have very happy memories of my experience as a jury member during the fiftieth anniversary season, and of the attentiveness and passion that went into the jury’s viewing and discussion of all the films.

As a spectator, fortunately I still have the same curiosity that I had in my youth and so it is a great privilege for me to embark on this voyage into the world of contemporary international film.”

So why Moretti? Well according to Cannes Director-General Thierry Frémaux “The festival wanted to celebrate its 65th season with a European jury president. High-spirited and marked by his modernity and intelligence, Nanni Moretti’s films are the incarnation of all the best in cinema over the past 30 years. His work is always evolving and continues to carry the promise of film that engages with the world and with our times.”

And whilst Italians are of course, elated at the news that the French love Moretti, they are more concerned with Moretti’s recent scooping of the nominations for Italy's version of the Oscars, the David di Donatello Awards.

Antonello Grimaldi's drama Caos Calmo this time starring Nanni Moretti has taken the lead in the nominations.