Forest Whitaker, Orlando Bloom thriller 'Zulu' to close Cannes

By Mark Olsen

April 12, 2013 12 AM PT

The police thriller “Zulu,” set and shot in South Africa, will close the 66th Cannes Film Festival on May 26. Starring Forest Whitaker and Orlando Bloom, the film is directed by Jerome Salle. An adaptation of the novel of the same name by Caryl Ferey, the screenplay was co-written by Salle and Julien Rappeneau.

Described as part crime noir and part social study, the English-language story follows a police investigation during apartheid. Two policeman, a black (Whitaker) and a white (Bloom), are called upon to investigate.

Whitaker won the best actor prize at Cannes in 1988 for Clint Eastwood’s “Bird.”

As previously announced, this year’s festival will open with Baz Luhrmann’s adaptation of “The Great Gatsby” with Leonardo DiCaprio, Tobey Maguire and Carey Mulligan.

Steven Spielberg will head the jury for this year’s festival. The festival’s official selection will be announced next week.

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