Oscar nominated American director, producer and screenwriter Darren Aronofsky (director/screenwriter  of the opening film of the 67th Venice Film Festival, Black Swan, and winner of the 2008 Golden Lion for The Wrestler) will be the president of the International Jury for the Competition at the 68th Venice International Film Festival (August 31 – September 10 2011). The International Jury will award the Golden Lion and the other official prizes.

Darren Aronofsky recently directed Black Swan, which upon its release established a new box office record for Fox Searchlight Pictures, received 5 Oscar nominations including best director and best picture and 4 Golden Globe Award nominations. Black Swan swept the Independent Spirit Award winning best feature, best director, best female lead and best cinematography.

Leading actress Natalie Portman’s performance in Black Swan, won her the Oscar as Best Actress, the Golden Globe, the BAFTA, the Independent Spirit Award, the Screen Actors Guild Award and prizes from the major associations of film critics.

For his earlier work The Wrestler (2008), Aronofsky was awarded the Golden Lion at the 65th Venice International Film Festival, and later won the Independent Spirit Award for best feature. Leading actor Mickey Rourke won the Golden Globe, the BAFTA and the Independent Spirit Award, as well as an Oscar nomination, and prizes from all the major associations of film critics.

Darren Aronofsky made his debut in 1998 with p, earning the prize of best director at the Sundance Film Festival and best screenplay at the Independent Spirit Awards. His second film, Requiem for a Dream, from the novel by Hubert Selby Jr. was presented at Cannes in 2000, and later won wide international recognition, including an Oscar nomination for Ellen Burstyn as best actress.

In 2006 Aronofsky participated in the Competition at the 63rd Venice International Film Festival with The Fountain, a romantic and psychedelic science fiction film starring Hugh Jackman and Rachel Weisz.