Chinese Film 'Mountains May Depart' to Participate in Cannes Film Fest

Cannes Film Festival director Thierry Fremaux announced on Thursday that the Chinese film "Mountains May Depart," directed by one of China's most outstanding filmmakers, Jia Zhangke, will participate in its 68th annual celebration from May 13-24 at the Palais des Festivals et des Congres in France.

Jia's "Mountains May Depart" will compete with 16 other qualified films, including "The Assasin" by Taiwanese director Hou Hsiao-Hsien and "Umimachi Diary" by Japanese director Kore-Eda Hirokazu, said the festival director.

Three more films will be added in the coming weeks to complete the 20 total participating films for the Palme d'Or or the Golden Palm, the highest prize awarded at the festival.

In the 2014's festival, Jia was one of the juries responsible for choosing the films that received the prestigious Cannes award.

The Chinese director, considered a leading figure of the "Sixth Generation" of Chinese directors, is best known for his films "The World" in 2004, "Still Life" in 2006, and "A Touch of Sin" in 2013.

He won various Best Director awards in prestigious film competitions like the Asian Film Award, the Berlin International Film Festival, and the Venice Film Festival.

In 2014, Jia's "Tian zhu ding" won the Best Screenplay in the Cannes Film Festival.

Festival de Cannes or Cannes Film Festival showcases new films in different genres from around the world. It premiered in 1946 and awards eight prizes for the main competition, and 12 other special prizes including Queer Palm, for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transexual (LGBT) related films, the Palm Dog for best canine performance, and Cinéfondation prizes for best student films.

French film "La Tete Haute" (Standing Tall) by French actress, film director and screenwriter Emmanuelle Bercot will be shown at the opening of the festival this year.

The jury will be headed by American film directors, screenwriters, producers, and editors Joel and Ethan Coen.