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The countdown to the next edition of the world's most influential film festival has begun. Organisers of the Cannes Film Festival have confirmed that the Official Selection for its 79th edition will be unveiled on April 9 in Paris.
As per Deadline, the announcement will be made during a press conference led by festival Delegate General Thierry Fremaux and President Iris Knobloch. The festival itself is scheduled to take place from May 12 to May 23 on the French Riviera, drawing filmmakers, stars and industry professionals from around the globe. The reveal of the line-up traditionally offers the first glimpse of the films competing for the coveted Palme d'Or and other top honours, setting the tone for the international festival circuit. Acclaimed South Korean filmmaker Park Chan-wook will serve as jury president. Best known for directing the influential thriller 'Oldboy' and the upcoming project 'No Other Choice', Park will lead a jury whose remaining members are yet to be confirmed. Expectations are high after a widely discussed 78th edition, which played a notable role in the recent awards season. Four of the five films nominated for Best International Feature Film at the 98th Academy Awards had their world premieres at Cannes. Among them were Palme d'Or winner 'It Was Just an Accident,' Grand Prize recipient 'Sentimental Value', Jury Prize winner 'Sirat', and 'The Secret Agent,' which earned director Kleber Mendonca Filho the Best Director award and Wagner Moura the Best Actor prize. Beyond the awards contenders, last year's festival also featured high-profile premieres. Kelly Reichardt debuted 'The Mastermind' in Competition alongside Richard Linklater's 'Nouvelle Vague.' Meanwhile, actors Kristen Stewart and Scarlett Johansson presented their feature directorial debuts- 'The Chronology of Water' and 'Eleanor the Great' in the Un Certain Regard section. The Croisette also welcomed blockbuster spectacle when Tom Cruise and director Christopher McQuarrie premiered 'Mission: Impossible - The Final Reckoning' out of competition, alongside Spike Lee's 'Highest 2 Lowest.' (ANI)
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