Here's Who Will Be Judging The Sydney Film Festival Official Competition

With the renowned Sydney Film Festival due to kick off in just a few days, Sydney Film Festival has named the jury who will be judging the Festival's Official Competition, and ultimately awarding the Sydney Film Prize.

In its eighth year, the Jury President will be acclaimed Aussie film producer, Liz Watts, perhaps most notable for her work on 2010's Academy-Award nominated Animal Kingdom and 2005's Little Fish, as well as a myriad of Cannes- and Sundance-selected works.

Other jury members on the judging panel include Japanese program consultant Hiromi Aihara, Australian screenwriter Andrew Bovell (who co-wrote 1992's Strictly Ballroom), Thai filmmaker and auteur Pen-Ek Ratanaruang and Austrian Film Commission's Martin Schweighofer.

The 12 titles they'll be judging from include Arabian Nights (2015, directed by Miguel Gomes), Black Souls (2014, directed by Francesco Munzi), The Daughter (2015, directed by Simon Stone), Me And Earl And The Dying Girl (2014, directed by Alfonso Gomez-Rejon), A Pigeon Sat On A Branch Reflecting On Existence (2014, directed by Roy Andersson), Sherpa (2015, directed by Jennifer Peedom), Strangerland (2014, directed by Kim Farrant), Tales (2014, directed by Rakhshan Bani-Etamad), Tangerine (2015, directed by Sean Baker), Tehran Taxi (2014, directed by Jafar Panahi), Victoria (2015, directed by Sebastian Schipper) and Vincent (2014, directed by Thomas Salvador). 

The winner of the Sydney Film Prize is expected to produce a work of "courageous, audacious and cutting-edge film", and will be pocketing $60,000 cash when the winner is announced on Closing Night on Sunday, 14 June.

This year's Sydney Film Festival will be held from Wednesday, 3 June, to Sunday, 14 June, at the State Theatre, Dendy Opera Quays, Art Gallery of NSW, Event Cinemas George Street, Skyline Drive-In Blacktown, Hayden Orpheum Picture Palace Cremorne, the Festival Hub at Sydney Town Hall and SFFTV at Martin Place.

For a closer look at the Festival's Sounds On Screen program, head here. For more information on the Festival's full program, head here.