Stepping into the shoes of Maren Ade, who fulfilled the role last year, Spanish director Carla Simón (Golden Bear at Berlin in 2022 with Alcarràs and in competition at Cannes in 2025 with Romería) will be chairing the jury in charge of weighing up the short films vying for the Palme d’Or at the 79th Cannes Film Festival (12-23 May) as well as the student films in the Cinef selection (see the article).

She will be flanked by French actress Park Ji-Min (Return to Seoul, The Little Sister, Love Me Tender), her fellow countryman Salim Kechiouche (an actor appearing in the Mektoub, My Love trilogy and the director of L’Enfant du paradis), Iranian helmer Ali Asgari (Terrestrial Verses, Until Tomorrow, Divine Comedy) and his Swedish counterpart Magnus von Horn (The Girl With the Needle, Sweat, The Here After).