Mexican filmmaker Guillermo del Toro , winner of last year's Golden Lion, will return to the 75° edition the Venice Film Festival, but this time as the president the jury.
“To serve as president in Venice is an immense honor and responsibility that I accept with respect and gratitude,” said Del Toro according to a statement.
“Venice is a window to the world cinema and the opportunity to celebrate its power and cultural relevance,” he added.
For Alberto Barbera, director of the Festival, the Mexican filmmaker “personifies generosity, a love for movies past or future, and a passion for the kind of cinema that can spark emotions, affect people and, at the same time, make them reflect.”
After having won a Golden Lion with “The Shape of Water,” his film has received 13 Oscar nominations for the upcoming ceremony in Hollywood this March 4.
The 75° edition of the Venice Film Festival will take place from August 29th to September 8th and has become the international showcase for Oscar-winning films, as in the last four years, films screened at the festival have won the coveted statuette at the Oscars.
am