CELEBRATED FRENCH DIRECTOR CLAUDE ZIDI HEADS
JURY FOR 28TH MONTRÉAL WORLD FILM FESTIVAL

Renowned French director Claude Zidi will preside over the prestigious eight-member international jury for the Montreal World Film Festival, it was announced today by Festival Vice-President Danièle Cauchard and President Serge Losique.

Noted American director Jerry Schatzberg, Czech animator Bretislav Pojar, Oscar-winning Montréal producer Denise Robert, Indian director Goutam Ghose, Mexican actress Diana Bracho, rising Italian star Anita Caprioli and Spanish director Jaime Camino round out the jury for the 28th MWFF, August 26 - September 6.

A pillar of the French film industry, Claude Zidi, started as a cinematographer and screenwriter before moving into the director's chair. He has written and directed some of France's biggest successes, including Les Ripoux which won several César awards and its two sequels, Les Sous-doués and Astérix et Obélix contre César, and worked with such great stars as Gérard Depardieu, Philippe Noiret, Daniel Auteuil, Thierry Lhermitte, Christopher Lambert, Josiane Balasko and Stephane Audran.

American director Jerry Schatzberg began his career as one of the New York's hottest fashion and glamour photographers. His acclaimed American films include Panic in Needle Park, which catapulted Al Pacino to stardom, Scarecrow and The Seduction of Joe Tynan. A favourite in Europe, he directed two co-productions with France that achieved critical success, Reunion and later The Day The Ponies Come Back, which was shown at the 2000 Montréal Festival.

Considered one of the masters of animated cinema, Bretislav Pojar has directed some 70 films using a wide range of animation techniques in both his native Czech Republic and in co-productions with numerous other organizations including the National Film Board of Canada. He has won awards at major international film festivals for such acclaimed works as Balablok, Narco Blues, Little Train, Nightangel, Duel, and Why? He has also directed a number of documentary and live action films, including The Flying Sneaker, a co-production with Montréal producer Rock Demers.

In less than 15 years, Denise Robert, who runs Cinémaginaire with co-founder Daniel Louis, has become one Canada's most successful producers. In addition to the Best Foreign Film Oscar for Les Invasions barbares this year, her honors include À corps perdu, in official competition at the Venice Film Festival; the Best Film Genie Award for The Confessional; a Golden Globe nomination for The Widow of St-Pierre; Stardom, the first Canadian film selected to close the Cannes Festival; and the selection of The Replay in official competition at the 2001 Cannes Festival. Her other successful productions include Mambo Italiano, C't'à ton tour, Laura Cadieux, and Nuit de noces, which won the Golden Reel Award as Canada's top grossing movie in 2001.

Goutam Ghose also began his career as a photographer before moving into documentary filmmaking in India and then drama. His films, known for their inimitable style and social touch, have won numerous national and international awards. Among his most notable works are Hungry Autumn, Our Land, Paar, Land of the Sand Dunes, The Kite, Beyond the Himalayas, The Doll, shown at the 1997 MWFF, and In the Forest…Again, featured at the Montréal event last year.

Diana Bracho is one of Mexico's finest thespian talents, earning plaudits for her work on the stage, on television and in films, which include Dreaming of Julia, co-starring Harvey Keitel, and the international hit Y tu mama tambien. She is the daughter of Julio Bracho, considered one of the two best directors of the golden age of Mexican cinema (1940 - 50).

A rising star of the Italian cinema, Anita Caprioli has worked in movies with some of Italy's best know directors, including Gabrielle Salvatores (Denti), Marco Ponti (Santa Maradona), Marco Pozzi (Venti) and Franco Zeffirelli (Tea With Mussolini), and in television with Carlo Lizzani (La donna dei tre no).

Spanish director Jamie Camino's started his career as a professor of music, film critic and novelist before turning to filmmaking. His best known works, which have won awards all over the world, include Los Ninos de Rusia, El Largo Invierno, Las Largas Vacaciones Del 36, and Luces Y Sombras.