With his trademark dark glasses and scruffy hairstyle Tim Burton enters a room of journalists to a round of applause.
The 51-year-old director, who is best known for making big budget fantasy films such as Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and more recently Alice In Wonderland, is the man hand-picked to head up this year’s Palme d’Or jury.
There are 19 movies to be judged this year and Burton, along with eight other judges including actors Kate Beckinsale and Benicio Del Toro, must sit through all of them – at least once – before announcing the winner.