The Oscar-winning director of The Piano, Jane Campion, is to lead the jury at this year's Cannes film festival, reports The Guardian.
Campion, who is also the only female film-maker to have ever taken home the French event's top prize, the Palme d'Or, described her passion for the world's most famous film festival in a statement.
"Since I first went to Cannes with my short films in 1986 I have had the opportunity to see the festival from many sides and my admiration for this Queen of film festivals has only grown larger," she said. "At the Cannes film festival they manage to combine and celebrate the glamour of the industry, the stars, the parties, the beaches, the business, while rigorously maintaining the festival's seriousness about the Art and excellence of new world cinema."
Campion follows Steven Spielberg onto the Croisette, the US director having overseen last year's festival.
The New Zealand-born director is a regular at Cannes, having won the prize for best short film in 1986 for Peel and returned in 2009 to present her film Bright Star in competition. In 2013 Campion oversaw the short film jury and presided over the Cinefondation section.
Read more of this report from The Guardian.