TikTok, which has become the official partner of the Cannes Film Festival, has assembled the prestigious jury of its inaugural #TikTokShortFilm, a global in-app competition of vertical shorts.
Rithy Panh, the BAFTA-nominated Cambodian filmmaker of “The Missing Picture,” will preside over the international jury, which comprises Basma Khalifa, the Sudanese multi-disciplinary creative, Camille Ducellier, the artist and filmmaker of “Bachi-Bouzouk,” Angele Diabang, the screenwriter and producer of “Un air de kora,” as well as Khaby Lame, the Senegalese-born TikToker and content creator.
Eligible short films will be between 30 seconds and 3 minutes in length. The competition selection will be done by representatives of TikTok around the world. Three awards will be handed out during the festival at an event attended by Cannes chief Thierry Fremaux.
With one billion users around the world, TikTok aims at positioning itself as a top entertainment destination and shine a spotlight on emerging talent.
When announcing the platform’s deal with the festival, Rich Waterworth, the general manager of TikTok in Europe, said “entertainment fans from all over the world turn to TikTok to be entertained, express themselves or discover something new, but they share an authentic and rewarding sense of community unlike anywhere else.”
The jury was largely assembled by Éric Garandeau, the former president of the National Film Board (CNC) in France, who is now head of public affairs for TikTok in France and played a key role in having the digital company strike a partnering with the Cannes Film Festival. Garandeau previously helped secure the luxury brand Kering’s partnership with Cannes.
