Greta Gerwig, the “Barbie” Filmmaker, Takes the Helm as Jury President for the 77th Cannes Film Festival
In just under fifteen years, Greta Gerwig has earned acclaim in American and global cinema. Originally from Sacramento, California, but adopting New York as her home, the aspiring playwright has forged a distinctive and daring path, consistently ascending to the pinnacle of brilliance.
On Thursday, the Cannes Film Festival revealed that Greta Gerwig, renowned for directing the “Barbie” film, will lead the jury for its 77th edition in May 2024. In a statement, the festival highlighted her historic appointment as the first American woman filmmaker to assume this prestigious role. Greta is also set to become the youngest person to undertake this role since Sofia Loren, who was only 31 in 1966. Additionally, she follows in the footsteps of Jane Campion, the second female director to assume the position in 2014.
“This is an obvious choice, since Greta Gerwig so audaciously embodies the renewal of world cinema, for which Cannes is each year both the forerunner and the sounding board”, said Iris Knobloch, Festival President, and Thierry Frémaux, General Delegate. “Beyond the 7th Art, she is also the representative of an era that is breaking down barriers and mixing genres, and thereby elevating the values of intelligence and humanism.”
In addition to “Barbie,” Gerwig has directed “Lady Bird” (2017) and “Dr. March’s Daughters” (2020). Currently, she is working on an adaptation of “The Chronicles of Narnia” for Netflix.
As of October 25, 2023, Greta Gerwig’s pink fantasy-comedy “Barbie” (2023) has collected over 635 million U.S. dollars at the North American box office, contributing to a global total of 1.44 billion U.S. dollars. This remarkable achievement marks it as the most successful debut ever for a film directed by a woman.
Scheduled from May 14 to May 25, the 77th Cannes Film Festival is poised to unveil its lineup in April for the upcoming year’s event.