Australian actress Nicole Kidman, French actors Daniel Auteuil, Austrian Christoph Waltz and Bollywood star Vidya Balan will be part of the jury at the 66th Cannes Film Festival chaired this year by American producer and director Steven Spielberg.
– The star Nicole Kidman who has come to Cannes several times to present films has never been rewarded. Australian actress received an Oscar in 2003 for « The Hours ».
– Daniel Auteuil, the only Frenchman of this jury received the prize of male performance at the 1996 Cannes Film Festival for « The Eighth Day ». He was ex-æquo with Pascal Duquenne.
– Christoph Waltz had received the prize of male interpretation in Cannes and the Oscar of the best second role for his role as SS officer in the « Inglourious Basterds » by Quentin Tarantino.
– Taiwanese director Ang Lee received twice the Best Film Oscar in 2006 for « Brokeback Mountain's Secret » and this year with « Pi's odyssey ».
– The Romanian Cristian Mungiu won the Palme d'Or in Cannes in 2007 for « 4 months, 3 weeks, 2 days ». He came back to the Croisette last year with « Beyond the hills ».
– Vidya Balan is one of the most prominent Indian actresses in Bollywood – Cannes celebrates the centenary of Indian cinema this year.
– In 1999, British director Lynne Ramsay presented her first feature film, « Ratcatcher », at the Cannes Film Festival in the Un Certain Regard section. She returned in 2002 with « Morvern Callar ».
– Japanese director Naomi Kawase obtained the Gold Camera in 1997 to award a first work for « Suzaku » and the prestigious Grand Prix in 2007 for « Nogari Forest ».
