British actor and director Tim Roth is to head up the jury at the Cannes film festival's parallel section for up-and-coming talent next month, organisers said on Thursday.

Backed by a jury of artists, journalists and festival directors, Roth will pick the best among around 20 films competing for the "Un Certain Regard" prize at the Riviera festival that runs May 16-27.

The films in competition will be announced on Thursday at a press conference in Paris, at the same time as the official selection running for the Palme d'Or prize, the festival said in a statement.

Last year's Un Certain Regard prize was shared by South Korea's Kim Ki-Duk for the autobiographical "Arirang" and Germany's Andreas Dresen for "Halt Auf Freier Strecke" (Stopped on Track), about a man who learns he has cancer.

Roth made his first Cannes appearance in Quentin Tarantino's "Reservoir Dogs" and "Pulp Fiction", which scooped a Palme d'Or in 1994.

Since then he has worked with directors from Terrence Malick to Wim Wenders, Tim Burton, Michael Haneke and Woody Allen, and since 2009 has starred in the lead role of the US television series "Lie to Me".

His directorial debut "The War Zone" in 1999 was nominated at the Cannes, Sundance and Toronto film festivals.