Cannes 2012: Claude Miller's 'Therese Desqueyroux' to Close Festival

This year’s Festival de Cannes will end on a bittersweet note when the late Claude Miller’s Therese Desqueyroux closes the 65th annual festival, organizers announced Wednesday.

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The film will screen May 27 in the Grand Theatre Lumiere in the Palais des Festivals the night of the traditional closing ceremonies.

The news comes on the eve before fest toppers Gilles Jacob and Thierry Fremaux unveil the fest’s full official selection on Thursday.

Miller passed away at age 70 earlier this month, just after finishing the editing of the film, leaving behind a mourning French film community.

Therese Desqueyroux stars Audrey Tautou in the title role alongside Gilles Lellouche and Anais Demoustier in the adaptation of Francois Mauriac’s novel Therese Desqueyroux. Tautou plays an unhappily married woman trying to break out of her banal provincial life in 1920s France. UGC is handling distribution in France.

“By dedicating the closing night to him, the Festival de Cannes, along with his family, friends, producers, and distributers, is very pleased to pay tribute to the memory of Claude Miller,” the fest said in a statement, adding, “This film is the final piece in his immense body of work, to which the Festival de Cannes and the director’s many admirers will pay tribute.”

The Festival de Cannes’ 65th edition will kick off May 16.

Editor's Note: The title of Claude Miller's film was referenced as Therese D in the original story, but has since been changed.