Tim Burton will be heading the jury of the Cannes Film Festival in 2010, bringing his unique outlook, flair for design and crazy hair to the world's most famous film festival. Cannes will run from May 12, 2010, for just under two weeks, and will no doubt see reputations made, deals forged and fabulous dresses worn.
Burton's response to the announcement was typically self-effacing. "After spending my early life watching triple features and 48-hour horror movie marathons, I'm finally ready for this. When you think of Cannes, you think of world cinema. And, as films have always been like dreams to me, this is a dream come true."
So will this change what we see at the Festival? When Tarantino headed the Jury, Oldboy took home the Grand Prix and Fahrenheit 9/11 won the Palme d'Or, with the former in particular credited at least partly to Tarantino's influence. Will we see fantastical, Gothic films do better than usual this year? Or can we trust a cineaste like Burton to reach beyond his own interests? Your thoughts please.