Inarritu 'honored' to be first Latin American Cannes jury president

The 72nd Cannes International Film Festival got underway on the French Riviera on Tuesday with Jim Jarmusch's zombie comedy "The Dead Don't Die."

Jarmusch's movie is a bloody and droll apocalyptic tale inspired by George Romero.

The cast including Bill Murray, Adam Driver and Selena Gomez joined the director on the red carpet.

Jury members Alice Rohrwacher, Elle Fanning, President of the Main competition jury Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu, Jury members Maimouna N'Diaye and Kelly Reichardt attend the Jury photocall during the 72nd annual Cannes Film Festival on May 14, 2019 in Cannes, France. [Photo: IC]

The jury president is Alejandro González Iñárritu from Mexico. He said he was honored to be the first Latin American person to preside over the jury that decides Cannes' top honor, the Palme d'Or.

"It is an honor first of all to be here in the Cannes Film Festival representing such amazing filmmakers, colleagues, friends." He said "We will figure out a way to get to the best way to identify what really strikes us more deeply, humanly, emotionally, intellectually, what provokes us more, what disturbs us more, what comforts us more."

Also walking the carpet were festival darlings Javier Bardem, Julianne Moore and Eva Longoria.

The festival runs until May 25.

(Story includes material sourced from AP)