'Barbie' director Greta Gerwig to chair 77th Cannes Film Festival jury

The Cannes Film Festival on Thursday, Dec 13. announced that Barbie’s director, Greta Gerwig, 40, will be joining as the jury president in 2024.

The actor-filmmaker garnered appreciation for her work on the summer blockbuster, Barbie, which became the highest grossing film of 2023. 

She will be the first American female director to take on the role of jury president in the history of film gala.

Gerwig, while talking about her interest in cinema, gushed: “I love films – I love making them, I love going to them, I love talking about them.

She continued, "As a cinephile, Cannes has always been the pinnacle of what the universal language of movies can be.”

The director will be the second female director to act as a jury president after Jane Campion, who led the honor nearly a decade ago. 

She will also be the second American woman after Olivia de Havilland, who served as the first female jury president.

Gerwig revealed that she was “thrilled” and “excited” to be a part of the clan.

The director exclaimed: “I am stunned and thrilled and humbled to be serving as the president of the Cannes Film Festival Jury. I cannot wait to see what journeys are in store for all of us!

Gerwig has directed a number of films, including Lady Bird (2017) and Little Women (2020) among others.