Kenyan-Mexican star of '12 Years a Slave' and 'Black Panther' will lead the panel of judges at Europe's first major film festival of the year.
Lupita Nyong'o, the Oscar-winning actor and best-selling author, has been named as the jury president of the 74th Berlin International Film Festival, also known as the Berlinale.
Nyong'o, who was born in Mexico City to Kenyan parents and grew up in Nairobi, will be the first black person to head the jury in the festival's history, organisers said on Monday.
The 40-year-old actor rose to fame with her debut role as Patsey in Steve McQueen's acclaimed drama '12 Years a Slave', for which she won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress in 2014.
She has since starred in blockbuster films such as 'Black Panther', 'Us', and 'Star Wars: The Force Awakens', as well as on Broadway in 'Eclipsed', a play about the lives of four women during the Liberian civil war.
Nyong'o also wrote a children's book called 'Sulwe', which became a New York Times bestseller in 2020. The book, which deals with themes of colourism and self-esteem, is being adapted into an animated musical for Netflix.
In a statement, Berlinale directors Mariette Rissenbeek and Carlo Chatrian said they were "happy and proud" that Nyong'o had accepted their invitation to lead the jury.
"Lupita Nyong'o embodies what we like in cinema: versatility in embracing different projects, addressing different audiences and consistency to one idea that is quite recognisable in her characters, as diverse as they may look," they said.
Nyong'o said she was "honoured and excited" to take on the role.
"The Berlinale has always been a festival that showcases the best of cinema from around the world, and I look forward to discovering and celebrating the stories that this year's selection has to offer," she said.
The Berlinale, which will run from February 15 to 25, is Europe's first major film festival of the year and one of the world's leading cinema events.
It awards the prestigious Golden and Silver Bear prizes to the best films in competition, as well as other awards in various categories.
Last year, the festival was held partly online and partly in person due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but organisers hope to return to a more normal format in 2022.
The festival is also set to announce a new director to replace Rissenbeek and Chatrian, who are leaving after the 74th edition.
The previous jury president was British actor Jeremy Irons, who presided over the 70th anniversary edition in 2020.
The last African to serve on the jury was Ethiopian filmmaker Haile Gerima, who was a member of the panel in 2016.
