DE NIRO TO PRESIDE AT CANNES FILM FESTIVAL

Robert De Niro has been named to serve as president of the jury at the Cannes Film Festival in May. De Niro, who founded his own film festival in New York — the Tribeca Film Festival — as part of a recovery program for the area attacked by terrorists in 2001, said that it had given him “an increased appreciation for the jury, who serve, undertaking an important role in choosing films that are represented in the world of film at its highest level.” Noting that he had served as president of the Cannes jury twice in the 1980s, De Niro said that he had learned that “this isn’t an easy task for me or my fellow jury members, but I’m very honored and happy to head the jury for this year’s Cannes Film Festival.” The 64th annual Cannes Film Festival is scheduled to take place from May 11 to 22.