Award-winning director Steven Spielberg will head up this year's Cannes Film Festival jury,the organizers announced Thursday,just days after he missed out on his third best-director Oscar. Spielberg,66,one of the most powerful and respected film-makers in Hollywood,said he was flattered by the appointment. "The memory of my first Cannes Film Festival,nearly 31 years ago with the debut of E.T.,is still one of the most vibrant memories of my career,he said in a statement."It is an honor and a privilege to preside over the jury of a festival that proves,again and again,that cinema is the language of the world," he added.  Ever since E.T.screened at Cannes in l982, "I've often asked Steven to be jury president,but he's always been shooting a film,"said the festival's president,Gilles Jacob.  The festival is one of the highlights in the international cinema calendar and this year runs between May l5 and May 26.Spielberg's works cuts across a wide range" between entertainments films and serious reflections on history,racism and the human condition",festival organizers said in the statement. Spielberg has directed more than 50 films in his five-decade career,including pop culture touchstones such as "Jaws,"E.T.," "Indiana Jones" and "Jurassic Park." But it was not until he turned to darker subjects that he won his first Oscars.He won his first best director award in l994 for" Schindler's List" and his second best director Oscar in l 998 for "Saving Private Ryan."  This year's "Lincoln "led the nominations ahead of Sunday's Oscar ceremony with l2 nods,but took home only two prizes.Ang Lee beat Spielberg to best director for "The Life of Pi". Because of his films,he's year-in year-out the equal of the very greatest Hollywood filmmakers. is not a film directed by Steven Spielberg.
The Life of Pi Indiana Jones Saving Private Ryan Schindler's List