Juliette Binoche to head Berlinale jury

French actress Juliette Binoche will head the jury of this year's Berlin International Film Festival, organizers announced on Tuesday. She has appeared in more than 70 films and won a slew of prizes.

"I'm very pleased that Juliette is president of the 2019 International Jury," said Berlinale director Dieter Kosslick.

"The festival shares a strong connection with her, and I'm very happy that she'll be returning to the festival in this distinguished position," added Kosslick, alluding to the two awards Binoche has received at the festival in the past.

She won the Berlinale Camera, for "personalities and institutions that have made a unique contribution to film," in 1993, and then the festival's best actress prize in 1997 for The English Patient, a role which also nabbed her an Academy Award.

Binoche, 54, had her first film role under the direction of Jean-Luc Godard, with a small role in 1983's Hail Mary. She first became known to English-language audiences starring opposite Daniel Day-Lewis in Philip Kaufmann's 1988 adaption of The Unbearable Lightness of Being.

She will follow in the footsteps of other actors such as Isabella Rossellini, Tilda Swinton, and Meryl Streep. The Berlin International Film Festival will take place from February 7 to 17.

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