The Cannes Film Festival (May 17-28) has said that its 2006 edition willsee a slight change in its second weekend programme.

The festival's awards ceremony will now revert back to the last Sundaynight, having been held on the last Saturday for the past two years. TheSaturday night film will now be a competition film with the Palmed'Or winner screening again on Sunday night after thetrophies are handed out.

Artistic director Thierry Fremaux said he hadnoticed that many festivals have a surge of energy the first weekend and dieoff by the second: "We want to work on the second weekend and prove that afestival lasts."

Festival president Gilles Jacob also said planned works to build extrascreening rooms underneath the Palais had been haltedfor the moment due to concerns about potential water leakage. Because thefestival is celebrating its 60th anniversary in 2007, and becausethe work will take a few years, it will likely not be finished until 2010 or2011.

Cannes alsowelcomed new general manager Catherine Demier to thefold on Wednesday morning during an informal press breakfast at its Parisheadquarters.

Having taken up the post this week, Demiersaid though she knows the festival well from the outside, the mythicorganization was still somewhat "mysterious" to her.

Demier noted, "I've lived thefestival in multiple ways," both professionally and as an invited guest. Shehas attended the festival since 1998 when she was working at the CNC. While shesegued out of cinema and into financial administration - her last job was assecretary general for the court of accounts - she remained an avid festivalwatcher and has been on hand in several different capacities including that of counselor to culture ministerCatherine Tasca.

Working closely with festival president Gilles Jacob, Demier said she will spend part of her time consulting onongoing projects as well as dealing with financial issues concerning the event.Demier replaces Veronique Caylawho took over the CNC presidency this summer.