CANNES FILM FESTIVAL’S JACOB TO RETIRE

Gilles Jacob, regarded as the driving force behind the Cannes Film Festival, arguably the world’s most influential and celebrated film festival, has announced he will step down in 2015 upon completing his current three-year term. In an interview with the newspaper Nice Matin, the 83-year-old Jacob said, “I promised my wife several times I’d stop. This time, I’ll do it.” His announcement comes just one week before the 66th annual festival, which opens on May 15 with a screening of The Great Gatsby. In 2015, Jacob will have spent 38 years with the festival, originally serving as CEO, then becoming president in 2001. However since then, much of the day-to-day management of the festival and selection supervision have been taken over by the current chief, Thierry Frémaux.