First Afrikaans film at Cannes

Cape Town – South African film Skoonheid has been announced as one of the films to be screened at the 64th Cannes film festival, reports Dermorae.com.

Skoonheid, a film by South African director Oliver Hermanus, is the first Afrikaans film ever to receive this honour.

Hermanus co-wrote and directed the award-winning drama Shirley Adams, about a destitute Cape Flats mother battling to care for her disabled son.

Altogether 49 films have been chosen for the 11 day festival on May 11 on the French Riviera.

Woody Allen's latest comedy Midnight in Paris - in which French first lady Carla Bruni-Sarkozy has a bit part - will open the festival.

Steering the Palme d'Or jury this year will be US actor and director Robert de Niro, while South Korean director Boon Joon-Ho will chair the panel that picks the winner of the Camera d'Or prize for best first film.