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American actor and director Sean Penn has been chosen to preside over the Cannes film festival in May - a controversial choice that appears to be as much anti-Washington as anti-Hollywood.
Although it remains awash with diamonds, champagne, starlets and paparazzi, the world's most prestigious movie gala has taken on a more political tone in the past few years.
American actors have presided over Cannes juries in the past but none of them has been as vocally opposed to the Administration in Washington as Penn.
Thierry Fremaux, the chief administrator of the festival, said yesterday that Penn was an obvious choice, adding: "He embodies the independent American cinema as well as presenting the face of the America we like."
In a statement, Penn praised the Cannes festival, which is often mocked in America as allergic to the kind of films the public wants to go to see.
"It seems there has been a rejuvenation of cinema-building worldwide," he said.
A flood of "increasingly thoughtful, provocative, moving and imaginative films by talented film-makers" suggested that a "a new generation of film-making may have begun," Penn added.
"The Cannes film festival has long been the epicentre in the discovery of those new waves of film-makers from all over the world. I very much look forward to participating in this year's festival as president of the jury."
Penn, 47, has vehemently criticised President Bush's record on civil liberties and the US invasion of Iraq. He has also written a series of venomous articles in the San Francisco Chronicle newspaper, attacking Bush's policy on Iran.
- INDEPENDENT