Director Tim Burton to head jury at Cannes

(AFP/Alberto PIZZOLI)

Director Tim Burton has been chosen to preside over the jury at the 63rd Festival de Cannes, May 12-23. This is his first time heading the jury, though he was a member of the jury in 1997 and the short film jury in 2006.

Burton has directed the upcoming 3D adaptation of the Alice in Wonderland story, to be released March 5, and starring Johnny Depp, who also appeared in several of his 14 films, including Sweeney Todd, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, and Edward Scissorshands.

Currently, his artwork is on exhibit at New York's Museum of Modern Art through April 26. It features a retrospective of Burton's films and drawings from early childhood, paintings, photographs, storyboards, puppets, costumes, and ephemera from his films.

The official selection of films for the Festival de Cannes will be announced in mid-April.

RC