Alejandro González Iñárritu named Cannes film fest jury president

Alejandro González Iñárritu, the four-time Oscar-winning director, producer and screenwriter, has been selected as jury president of this year’s Cannes Film Festival in France.

On Wednesday, organizers announced that Iñárritu, the director of the acclaimed films “The Revenant,” “Birdman,” “Amores Perros” and “Babel,” will succeed actress Cate Blanchett, who served as last year’s jury president. Iñárritu will be the first Mexican artist to hold the position.

“I am humbled and thrilled to return this year with the immense honor of presiding over the Jury,” Iñárritu said in a statement. “Cinema runs through the veins of the planet and this festival has been its heart… This is a true delight and a responsibility, and that we will assume with passion and devotion.”

In the same statement, festival president Pierre Lescure and general delegate Thierry Frémaux noted the importance of Iñárritu’s selection. “It is Mexican cinema that the Festival will be celebrating,” they said.

Iñárritu won best director in 2006 at Cannes for “Babel,” and Javier Bardem, star of the filmmaker’s “Biutiful,” won best actor in 2010 at the festival.

The three-time Academy Award winning “Roma,” directed by Iñárritu’s pal Alfonso Cuarón, did not premiere at Cannes last year because of conflicts with Netflix over distribution for streaming releases.

The 72nd Cannes Film Festival will run from May 14-25.