NEW DELHI: Australian director, screenwriter and producer George Miller will be heading the jury of the 69th Festival de Cannes.

The Festival will be held from 11 to 22 May.

Reacting to his appointment, Miller said, “What an unmitigated delight! To be there in the middle of this storied festival at the unveiling of cinematic treasures from all over the planet. To spend time in passionate discourse with fellow members of the jury! Such an honour! I'll be there with bells on!”

It was in Cannes last May that Mad Max: Fury Road  set out on its fantastic cavalcade across the screens. The film, shown Out of Competition in the Official Selection, marked the return not only of the hero of the legendary saga for the myriad fans of Max Rockatansky, but also the comeback of his creator, Miller, and of the visionary filmmaking that made him a household name around the world.

The roots of Miller's career, alongside those of Peter Weir, Bruce Beresford and Phillip Noyce stretch back to the golden age of Australian cinema from the 1980s.

Originally from a small village in Queensland, Miller wrote and directed Violence in the Cinema, part 1 in 1971. Produced by his friend Byron Kennedy, with whom he founded the Kennedy Miller company, the short film picked up two prizes from the Australian Film Institute. This official recognition encouraged Miller to pursue a career in film and to make his first feature film.