Wong Kar Wai invited to head Cannes jury (Xinhua) Updated: 2006-01-05 09:20 Chinese director Wong Kar Wai will head the jury
of the 59th Cannes film festival from May 17-28, 2006, to be the first Chinese
president in the history of the Cannes Festival, organizers said Wednesday.
Wong, whose work "As tears go by" was first screened at Cannes in 1989, won
best director at the 1997 film festival for "Happy Together", his tale of a
strained relationship between two Chinese gay lovers living in Buenos Aires.
In 2000 his film "In The Mood For Love" earned him wider international
plaudits, nominated for a Golden Palm at Cannes and going on to earn some 2.7
million dollars at the US box office.
He went back to the famous French resort of Cannes in 2004 with his film
"2046", the follow-up to "In the Mood", included in the Cannes official
selection.
In a statement released by organizers, Wong said he was very honored to have
been named as the president of the jury at this year's festival.
"Each city has its own language. In Cannes, it is the language of dreams. Yet
it is difficult to judge one's dream much less compare it to another," Wong said
in the statement.
"One can never expect the wind, but should always keep one's window open," he
said.
"Along with my fellow jurors, I look forward to sharing the dreams created by
some of the most gifted talents in contemporary cinema. And our goal will be to
keep our windows open as wide as possible," he added.
Gilles Jacob, president of the Festival said Wong's films immediately strike
us by their plastic splendor and nostalgic amorous emotion in the great romantic
tradition.
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