This year, actor-director Sean Penn will head the jury at the Cannes Film Festival. While the festival organisers announced Penn’s name, industry honchos said that the move will further strengthen the event’s repute for sustaining Left-wing causes.And they are not wrong either. Oscar-winning actor Penn has staunchly condemned President George W Bush for his government’s role in invading Iraq as well as violating civil liberties.
Penn also visited Iraq before the attack and travelled to Tehran on a reporting assignment in 2005. Again, in 2004, the Cannes festival authorities awarded its top prize the Palme d’Or to the US director Michael Moore for his anti-Bush documentary Farenheit 9/11.
Bestowed with the honour, Penn said that it seems there has been a transformation of cinema structure worldwide as it is witnessing more thoughtful, provocative, moving and imaginative films by talented filmmakers.
He described this as the beginning of a new generation of filmmaking.
According to Penn, whose drama Into the Wild topped the list of nominees for the Screen Actors Guild Awards, the Cannes Film Festival has long been the epicentre in the discovery of those new waves of filmmakers from all over the world and this makes him keen to participate in this year's festival as president of the jury. Meanwhile, the organisers have announced that the 61st Cannes Festival will take place from May 14 to 25.
Keira Knightley voted British Beauty Icon of 2007
The Pirates of the Caribbean star Keira Knightley has been named the number one beauty icon of 2007. The honour comes in the wake of a poll conducted by the UK high street chain Superdrug where a majority of the 2500 people participating in the survey voted for the stunning British actress.
In her road to achieving the honour, 22-year-old Knightly overcame stiff competition from actress-and-model Kelly Brook, supermodel Kate Moss and Spice Girl Victoria Beckham. According to the Superdrug Beauty Director Katherine Le Clerc, the top 10 beauty icons list hints that today there is room for everyone’s idea of true beauty and this includes anyone – from the aloof glamour of Keira Knightley and Victoria Beckham’s high-maintenance gloss to the fresh faced youthful looks of actress Gemma Atkinson!
The top 10 beauties comprised of British women, while Paris Hilton was voted the number one overseas beauty icon. The list is as follows: 1. Keira Knightley 2. Kelly Brook 3. Kate Moss 4. Victoria Beckham 5. Fearne Cotton (UK TV presenter) 6. Holly Willoughby (UK TV presenter) 7. Gemma Atkinson (UK actress) 8. Alesha Dixon (singer) 9. Lily Allen 10. Katie Price (model)
