Penn to head Cannes festival jury

Sean Penn won an Oscar in 2004 for his role in Mystic River

Oscar-winning actor Sean Penn is to head the jury at the 2008 Cannes Film Festival, organisers have announced.

The 47-year-old said in a statement he was "very much" looking forward to participating in this year's event.

The 61st festival begins on 14 May, with the jury awarding the Palme d'Or prize for best film on 25 May.

Penn won a best actor Oscar in 2004 for his role in Mystic River, as a father who reverts to his criminal ways to seek revenge for his daughter's death.

"In the last few years there has been a rejuvenation of cinema building worldwide. The Cannes Film Festival has long been the epicentre in the discovery of new waves of film-makers," Penn said.

'Vision of America'

The festival's artistic director, Thierry Fremaux, told news agency AFP that Penn "represents the independent American cinema as well as a vision of America which we like".

Penn's latest directorial effort, drama Into The Wild, has dominated nominations for this month's Screen Actors Guild Awards, regarded as a key Oscars indicator.

British director Stephen Frears led the Cannes jury last year.

It awarded the top prize to Romanian director Cristian Mungiu for 4 Months, 3 Weeks and 2 Days - a harrowing portrait of an illegal abortion in Communist-era Romania.