Rodrigo Sorogoyen Resigns as Cannes Critics’ Week Jury President, Sylvie Pialat to Take Over
In a surprising turn of events, Spanish director Rodrigo Sorogoyen has stepped down as the president of the Cannes Critics' Week jury, citing personal reasons for his departure. The announcement came directly from Critics' Week organizers on May 11, mere days before the festival is scheduled to begin.
Sylvie Pialat, a well-regarded French producer known for her work on films such as "Under The Sun Of Satan," which garnered the Palme d'Or in 1987, will assume the role of jury president. Pialat, who was originally a member of this year's jury, brings extensive experience from the French film industry, further underscored by her leadership of the Paris-based production company, Les Films du Worso.
Joining the reshuffled jury will be French filmmaker Iris Kaltenback, recognized for her debut feature "Rapture," which premiered at last year's Critics' Week and subsequently won best first film at the 2024 Lumière awards. The jury will also include Rwandan actress Eliane Umuhire, Belgian director of photography Virginie Surdej, and Canadian journalist and film critic Ben Croll.
The Critics' Week, a segment of the Cannes Film Festival dedicated to showcasing first and second films by directors from around the world, will run from May 15 to 23. This last-minute change in leadership is poised to introduce a new dynamic to the jury, as Pialat and her fellow jurors undertake the task of evaluating some of the most promising new films presented at the festival.