Cannes 2015: Isabella Rossellini to lead Un Certain Regard jury

Isabella Rossellini will bring her nightclub act to the Cannes Film Festival. Organizers on Friday announced that the “Blue Velvet” star had been named president of the Un Certain Regard jury, giving the Croisette acting favorite a key awards role at this year’s confab.

Rossellini has been to Cannes multiple times as an actress, including in 1990 for David Lynch’s “Wild at Heart” and in 2008 for James Grey’s romantic melodrama “Two Lovers,” in which she had several scene-stealing turns.

Un Certain Regard is regarded as the second-most prestigious section at Cannes after the main competition; nearly two dozen films from up-and-coming filmmakers around the world play in the section.

Jury presidents in recent years have included Tim Roth and Thomas Vinterberg, and the section has been a showcase for high-profile American indies like “Fruitvale Station” and “Blue Valentine” as well as a world-premiere venue for foreign arthouse darlings such as “Dogtooth” and current critical favorite “White God.”

Rossellini will be a counterpart of sorts to the Coen brothers, who will preside over the Cannes jury for the main competition.

This year’s festival will be a particularly strong one for Rossellini and her family. Her late mother, Ingrid Bergman, will receive a festival tribute that will include a screening of a new documentary by the Swedish director Stig Bjorkman’s titled “Ingrid Bergman, in Her Own Words‏.”

Cannes will announce its film lineup as well as its full Un Certain Regard jury on Thursday. The prestigious 12-day gathering kicks off May 13 with an as-yet-undisclosed opening night film.

Twitter: @ZeitchikLAT