Spielberg to head Cannes jury
France’s Cannes Film Festival says it has finally snagged Steven Spielberg to serve as president of the award jury this year.
Gilles Jacob, the festival’s president, recounted how he had been trying to get the award-winning director to head the jury for years, but he was always working. Finally, this year, Spielberg got in touch.
“When this year I was told `E.T., phone home,’ I understood and immediately replied: `At last!”’ Jacob said on the festival’s website Thursday.
Spielberg, who was nominated but didn’t win the directing Oscar for his biopic “Lincoln” this year, takes the reins from Italian Nanni Moretti. The festival takes place May 15 to 26. When he writes his jokes, he has to do it in a “think tank” — alone, in his home.
He also has to stand on top of an apple box when performing. Sometimes, he has to stand on two of them.
That’s why collaborating with the “SNL” cast and crew feels like a new process for Hart, who is hosting the NBC show this weekend.
“So this process here is a little different. ... A lot of people came in the room and were looking into my eyes and it threw me off a little bit,” he says jokingly, but in a serious tone.
“So I just closed my eyes and let them talk and kind of took it all in. And then I recited everything they said.”
Wire services