The Cape Town-set thriller “Zulu,” toplining Orlando Bloom and Forest Whitaker as two cops on the beat, has been chosen to close the 66th Cannes Film Festival.
By French helmer Jerome Salle (“Largo Winch”) and based on Caryl Ferey’s eponymous novel, “Zulu” is described by the fest as a mix of political film noir and social study unspooling in a South Africa overshadowed by apartheid.
The ambitious English-language pic is penned by Julien Rappeneau and produced by Richard Grandpierre’s Paris-based Eskwad. Boasting a score by Alexandre Desplat, pic is co-produced by Pathe, which handles international sales and is set to distribute the film in France.
Whitaker is no stranger to Cannes. He won the actor prize at the fest for his performance in Clint Eastwood’s “Bird.”
Fest kicks off on May 15 with Leonardo DiCaprio starrer “The Great Gatsby,” directed by Baz Luhrmann.
Steven Spielberg will preside the jury, whose members have yet to be announced.
The official selection will be unveiled April 18.
