Jenna Ortega makes history as youngest jury member at Marrakech Fest

Jenna Ortega, star of Tim Burton’s Netflix hit ‘Wednesday’, has created history at the Marrakech Film Festival this year as its youngest ever jury member, reported Deadline. The 23-year-old actress joins a jury presided over by Cannes Palme d’Or and Oscar-winning Parasite director Bong Joon Ho.

‘Overwhelmed with Gratitude’

Despite being young and surrounded by the critically acclaimed filmmakers in the jury panel, Jenna Ortega doesn’t feel intimidated; instead, she seems to be relishing the experience. “I’m not intimidated because I think I’m so overwhelmed with gratitude. I think it would be a shame to come into this experience and be weighed down by some external pressure,” she said as quoted by Deadline.

She continued, “At the end of the day, we’re all on the same team. We’re here to have a discussion about film, an honest discussion, and I tend to be a pretty honest person; it’s very hard for me to put up a front,” as quoted by Deadline. “Obviously, I have the utmost respect and have looked up to so many of these directors and filmmakers for such a long time. More than anything, I just want to be as present as possible,” she said as per Deadline.

Esteemed Jury Panel

The other jury members include Palme d’Or winner Julia Ducournau (Titane), Oscar nominee Celine Song (Past Lives), Berlinale Best Actor winner Payman Maadi (A Separation) as well as Mad Max star Anya Taylor-Joy and respected auteur directors Karim Ainouz and Hakim Belabbe.

Films in Competition

They are judging 14 first and second films which include Akinola Davies Jr.’s drama ‘My Father’s Shadow’, Zamo Mkhwanazi’s Apartheid era drama ‘Laundry’, Morad Mostafa’s ‘Aisha Can’t Fly Away’ and Erige Sehiri’s ‘Promised Sky’. (ANI)

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by Asianet Newsable English staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)