Italian actress Laura Morante will act as mistress of ceremonies for the 57th Cannes Film Festival which begins on May 12.

Morante succeeds Monica Bellucci who held the post last year.

Her duties will include opening and closing the official competition and welcoming jury president Quentin Tarantino on the first night of the festival.

Morante is the daughter of author Elsa Morante and last appeared in Cannes in 2001 when she co-starred in Nanni Moretti's Palme d'Or winner The Son's Room.