We can all agree that 2017 was a big year for females. In Hollywood, women led the highest grossing films of the year and the Screen Actors Guild Awards (SAG) nominees list was flooded with female contenders. Now, a woman will fill the Presidential spot on the jury panel at the Cannes International Film Festival for 2018.
Considered to be one of the festival’s firm favourites, Cate Blanchett will take on the role as President of the jury for 2018. Previously a guest as an actress or producer, Blanchett’s new role marks her as the 12th woman to fill the position, succeeding last year’s Spanish director Pedro Almodóvar. A big advocate of women empowerment, Blanchett is also one of the 300 Hollywood names supporting the recently launched anti-harrassment initiative, Time’s Up.
Set to run from May 8-19 — coinciding with Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s royal wedding date — the annual film festival has also announced a change in schedule, following on from its 70th anniversary last year. The festival will start one day earlier than in previous years.
“Following 2017’s anniversary edition, the Festival is beginning a new period in its history,” says Festival President Pierre Lescure. “We intend to renew the principles of our organisation as much as possible, while continuing to question the cinema of our age and to be present through its upheavals.”
Also speaking about the upcoming festival, Blanchett said: “Cannes plays a pivotal role in bringing the world together to celebrate story; that strange and vital endeavour that all peoples share, understand and crave.”
We can’t wait to see Blanchett take the reigns in a few months time. In the meantime, discover Blanchett in her latest role in the first official trailer of Ocean’s 8.
