'Nomadland' director Chloe Zhao to sit on Venice film jury

Chinese Director/Producer Chloe Zhao, winner of the award for Picture and Director for "Nomadland," poses in the press room at the Oscars on 25 April at Union Station in Los Angeles
AFP file photo

Director Chloe Zhao, fresh off her "Nomadland" best film win at this year's Academy Awards, will sit on the jury of the upcoming Venice Film Festival, organisers said Wednesday.

The annual international festival, to be held on the glitzy island of Lido from 1-11 September, will be headed by jury president Bong Joon Ho, the South Korean director whose "Parasite" won an Oscar for best film in 2019.

Zhao, who was born in China but lives and works in the United States, collected Venice's top prize last year, when "Nomadland" took home a Golden Lion for best film before going on to win a slew of awards at the Oscars this year, including best director and best picture.

Venice's six-person jury also includes directors Saverio Costanzo from Italy and Romania's Alexander Nanau, British actress and singer Cynthia Erivo, Belgian-French actress Virginie Efira and Canadian actress Sarah Gadon.

The Venice Film Festival is the world's oldest and among the most prestigious, rivalling Cannes and Berlin.