Barbie director Greta Gerwig heads jury of 2024 Cannes Festival, 1st American woman director in job

PARIS (AP) — Greta Gerwig, actor, writer and film director, notably for the blockbuster “Barbie,” will preside over the jury of the 77th Cannes Festival in May, the first American female film director to be named jury president, the festival announced Thursday. At 40, Gerwig is also the youngest person to take on that role since Sofia Loren, who headed the Cannes jury in 1966 at age 31, the statement noted. “I’m overwhelmed, enthusiastic and touched with humility,” the Festival statement quoted Gerwig as saying. “I can’t wait to discover what voyages await us!”