Venice film festival announces Zhao Wei as juror

Chinese actress Zhao Wei poses during the photocall for the movie "Qin'ai de" (Dearest) at the 71st Venice Film Festival August 28, 2014. [Photo/Agencies]

The Venice Film Festival has announced its main jury will be headed by British director Sam Mendes as Chinese actress and director Zhao Wei will join the jurors.

Zhao has become the fifth Chinese actress to serve as Venice juror after Maggie Cheung, Gong Li, Hsu Feng, and Joan Chen. She is also the only Asian face of this year's Venice film festival. Her last film "Dearest" was screened in Venice two years ago.

Other announced jurors included American director Laurie Anderson, British actress Gemma Arterton, American director Joshua Oppenheimer, Italian screen writer Giancarlo De Cataldo, German actress Nina Hoss, French actress Chiara Mastroianni and Venezuelan director Lorenzo Vigas. Sam Mendes will serve as jury president.

They will be tasked with choosing the Golden Lion for best film and Silver Lion for best director, among other awards.

Venice has also announced the jury members of its Horizons section, which includes American film critic and historian Jim Hoberman, Egyptian actress Nelly Karim, Italian actress Valentina Lodovini, South Korean actress and director Moon So-ri, Spanish critic Jose Maria Prado and Indian director Chaitanya Tamhane. The section is headed by French director Robert Guediguian and is for more cutting-edge works.

The 73rd edition of the festival will be held from Aug 31 to Sept 10. The full lineup will be announced on July 28.

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