Matt Dillon joins Venice International Film Festival jury after Cristi Puiu's exit

Actor Matt Dillon is stepping in for Cristi Puiu as a member on the competition jury of the Venice International Film Festival after the Romanian director pulled out of the event. The 77th edition of the Venice International Film Festival will be held from September 2 to 12.

Actor Matt Dillon is stepping in for Cristi Puiu as a member on the competition jury of the Venice International Film Festival after the Romanian director pulled out of the event. According to The Hollywood Reporter, the festival said Puiu was unable to honour his commitment to serve due to "unexpected difficulties". Dillon joins president Cate Blanchett in a seven-person jury that also includes French actor Ludvine Sagnier, British director Joanna Hogg, German filmmaker Christian Petzold, Austrian director Veronika Franz and Italian writer Nicola Lagioia. With a four decade run in cinema, Dillon broke out with Francis Ford Coppola's 1983 gang drama "The Outsiders".

The 56-year-old actor is best known for "Drugstore Cowboy", "There's Something About Mary" and "Crash", for which he earned his first Oscar nomination in the best supporting actor category. He made his directorial debut in 2002 with "City of Ghosts".

Dillon recently starred in Lars von Trier's controversial serial killer drama "The House That Jack Built" (2018). His second directorial venture, the documentary "The Great Fellove", about Cuban soul singer El Gran Fellove, will have its world premiere at Spain's San Sebastian film festival this year. The 77th edition of the Venice International Film Festival will be held from September 2 to 12. It will be the first major European festival to hold a physical event since the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic.