Jane Campion is to head up the Cinéfondation and Short Film Jury of the 66th Festival de Cannes, a position held previously held by Jean-Pierre Dardenne, Michel Gondry, Hou Hsiao Hsien, Martin Scorsese and John Boorman.

Originally from New Zealand, Jane Campion has attracted critical acclaim since the very beginning of her film career: in 1986 she won short film Palme d’or for Peel and garnered interest from critics all over the world for Sweetie, the first feature she presented in competition at the Festival de Cannes. After An Angel at my Table, she returned to Cannes with The Piano, which won the Palme d’or in ’93, as well as the best actress award for Holly Hunter.

Her work, which is dominated by the presence of fascinating women in search of their identity, comes in a variety of styles, from Holy Smoke (Kate Winslet) and Portrait of a Lady (Nicole Kidman) to In the Cut (Meg Ryan). Her latest film, Bright Star, was a fictional biography of the poet Keats and his muse, and was presented in competition at Cannes in 2009.

Gilles Jacob, president of the Festival de Cannes and the Cinéfondation, declared: “Jane is a child of Cannes. I know this as it was I who selected her first three short films for the Festival, because I liked her style and consistency. Naively perverse young girls, teens closed in around their solitude, and women mulling over desires and regrets: Jane’s is a passionate universe that she firmly holds in check as she draws these intricate group portraits. I am delighted that the love story between Lady Jane and the Festival continues today as she takes on the role of president.”

The Cinéfondation and Short Film jury is comprised of five eminent figures from the worlds of film and literature and they choose their three prize winners from among the Cinéfondation’s selection of film school entrants. The jury also chooses the winner of the short film Palme d’or, which is presented during the closing ceremony of the Festival, on Sunday May 26th 2013.