Ang Lee to head Venice festival

Brokeback Mountain director Ang Lee is to head the jury at this year's Venice Film Festival, organisers have said.

The Taiwanese-born film-maker, who has won the Italian event's main prize twice, will chair the panel responsible for deciding 2009's award winners.

Lee's Oscar-winning cowboy romance movie won the Golden Lion at Venice in 2005, while Lust, Caution picked up the top honours in 2007.

The festival is due to take place from 2 to 12 September.

'Most successful'

In a statement on the event's website, Lee was praised as "one of the most highly appreciated international film makers".

"He is one of the most successful directors in creating a dialogue between the film-making culture of the East and West," it added.

Lee, who moved to the US in 1978, won the best director Oscar for Brokeback Mountain in 2006, which picked up a whole host of other awards.

His 2001 martial arts film Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon collected four Academy Awards including best foreign language film.

Lee is currently putting the final touches to Taking Woodstock, a film about the landmark US music festival.

Last year, The Wrestler won the Golden Lion for best film.

Its star Mickey Rourke went on to be the leading contender for best actor at the Oscars, but he lost out to Sean Penn for Milk.

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