Sam Mendes Named President of Venice Film Festival Jury
'Skyfall' and 'Spectre' director Sam Mendes will head this years jury for the 2016 Venice Film Festival which runs from August 31-September 10.
Mendes has always had a soft spot for the prestigious festival. Back in 2002, his film 'Road to Predition' starring Tom Hanks headlined the festival, giving Mendes his fondest festival memory. Mendes said today, "I've always had a strong connection with Venice."
Earlier this month, Mendes announced that he and DreamWorks sealed the rights to the Gay Talese New Yorker article 'The Voyeur's Motel' that had many bigwigs in Hollywood clamouring to capture the rights for its film adaptation when the article hit the press earlier this month. Mendes will produce and direct the film alongside Steven Spielberg. Word on the street suggests the deal for the rights cost DreamWorks approximately $1million.
Mendes follows director Alfonso Cuaron (Gravity) as jury president, who last year awarded the Golden Lion to Lorenzo Vigas' 'Desde Alla.'
