Oscar-winning Italian director Bernardo Bertolucci is will lead the jury of the prestigious 70th Venice film festival, organisers of the event announced on Thursday. The 73-year-old director previously chaired the jury in 1983 when Jean-Luc Godard’s ‘First Name: Carmen’ was awarded the Golden Lion, the BBC reported. “At the time what I wanted from films was surprise and enjoyment. I haven’t changed much since then,” Bertolucci said in a statement. Bertolucci is best known for the films ‘Last Tango in Paris’ and ‘The Last Emperor’, which won nine Oscars. “Few directors can bring together, like Bertolucci, a long experience with the fact of living in the present of cinematography,” Venice festival director Alberto Barbera said, in a statement. The filmmaker has premiered numerous films at Venice, including his debut film ‘The Grim Reaper’, in 1962, and more recently, ‘The Dreamers’, in 2003. The line-up for this year’s festival, which is scheduled from 28 August to 7 September, will be announced in July.
