The 64th annual Cannes Film Festival is being held from May 11 to May 22, 2011.[1] American actor Robert De Niro will be the president of the jury for the main competition[2][3] and French filmmaker Michel Gondry will head the jury for the short film competition.[4] South Korean film director Bong Joon-ho has been announced as the head of the jury for the Caméra d’Or prize, which is awarded to the best first-time filmmaker.[5]The opening film is Midnight in Paris, written and directed by Woody Allen.[6][7] Mélanie Laurent will be the hostess of the opening and closing ceremonies.[8]Italian film director Bernardo Bertolucci was presented with the inaugural Honorary Palme d’Or Award at the opening ceremony of the festival.[9] Gus Van Sant’s Restless is scheduled to open the Un Certain Regard section.[10] Jailed Iranian film directors Jafar Panahi and Mohammad Rasoulof will be honoured at the festival.[11] Goodbye by Rasoulof and Pahani’s This Is Not a Film will be screened at the festival, and Panahi will be awarded the Carrosse d’Or. Four female directors feature in the main competition: Australian Julia Leigh, Japan’s Naomi Kawase, Scottish director Lynne Ramsay and France’s own Maïwenn Le Besco.[12][13]
