Cannes 2018: Khadja Nin joins the Jury!

07/05/2018

The Burundian singer Khadja Nin joins the jury of the prestigious Cannes Festival, which will take place on La Croisette from 8 to 19 May. The artist, selected for her work with UNICEF, joins a highly female jury chaired by the actress Cate Blanchett and whose members include actresses Léa Seydoux and Kristen Steward and producer Ava DuVernay. Nin is also the only member not from the world of cinema.

The public discovered Khadja Nin in the early 90s, when she released the album "Ya Pili", featuring "Sambolera mayi son", which became a hit in subsequent months. This song, which sets the tone for a blend of pop, African music and Latino influences, signified her moment of glory. Her smooth, spellbinding voice earned her recognition as one of the most beautiful voices in African music. She has released other albums since then, but the wife of Belgian racing driver Jacky Ickx is best known for her humanitarian work, which includes vaccination campaigns, the fight against famine, and education for girls. This UNICEF good-will ambassador has her fingers in many pies.

In 2016, the Ligue des Femmes Africaines awarded her the Prix de l'Action Féminine. She believes that she was selected as a juror because she embodies a "different viewpoint", being African and not from the cinema world. And what would cinema be without music?

For this committed woman, the next Cannes Festival will also be an opportunity to promote African cinema, despite the absence of African films in the official selection; all the selected films are in the "Un certain regard" category.