Cate Blanchett Doesn’t Have to Judge Lars Von Trier, But Don’t Be Surprised If the Cannes Jury Wants to Award a Woman

When the Cannes Film Festival announced its Official Competition in early April, one notorious auteur was absent from the lineup: Lars von Trier.

This wasn’t a total surprise, even though the Danish filmmaker had an upcoming movie, “The House That Jack Built,” because he’s been deemed persona non grata since his controversial remarks about being a Nazi during the Cannes press conference for “Melancholia” in 2011.

However, one week later, the festival announced that “The House That Jack Built” would play at Cannes after all — out of competition.This decision overturns Trier’s status at Cannes while avoiding one of the biggest challenges his new work presented at the festival, where the competition will be judged by a female-dominated jury led by jury president Cate Blanchett.

A rep for the actress denied one rumor circulating in recent days, that the actress refused to consider Trier’s film as part of the competition.

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