Emir Kusturica has been appointed president of the short film and Cinefondation jury for the forthcoming Cannes festival (Festival de Cannes).

A Cannes regular, Kusturica is one of only a handful of directors who have twice won the festival's Palme d'Or - in 1985 for When Father Was Away On Business and in 1995 for Underground.

A graduate of the Prague film school, FAMU, Yugoslavian-born Kusturica will be responsible for awarding the Cinefondation prizes to films produced by film schools around the world. Along with his jury, Kusturica will also be awarding the Palme d'Or for short film, during the festival's closing ceremony on May 25. Martin Scorsese was president in 2002.

French director, Patrice Chereau has already been named president of the main jury.