According to Cannes Film Festival organizers, the 62nd Cannes film festival scheduled to run from 13th - 24th May this year, will see French actress Isabelle Huppert heading the jury panel, responsible for selecting the winner of the coveted Palme d'Or prize.

With a career spanning four decades, Huppert, who has won the festival's Best Actress award twice, in 1978 for 'Violette Noziere' and most recently for her role in Austrian Director Michael Haneke's 'La Pianiste' in 2001. Somewhat of a fixture at France 's premiere film event, she has appeared no less than 25-times in Cannes , performing various roles, including jury member and Master of Ceremonies.

Her delight at her appointment is reflected in her statement: ' Cannes is the open door to all the new ideas of the world. I am thrilled at the idea of being a privileged spectator in it.' The second year running that the Cannes jury is to be headed by an actor, in 2008, the privilege was awarded to US actor director Sean Penn.

With fourteen of her films entered in the competition, Huppert has twice served as a member of the jury, and is only the fourth woman to head it. As the 55-year old actress quite aptly states: 'I've had a long relationship with Cannes and this next meeting will definitely seal my love for the festival and thus for global cinema.'

No less, Thierry Fremaux, the festival's artistic director, talking to the media about Huppert's appointment, said it was a tribute 'to someone who has put her popularity to the service of artistic cinema, who has worked with young directors and admiring foreign filmmakers.'