Cate Blanchett, the Oscar-winning actress leading a Hollywood campaign to tackle sexual harassment in the workplace, will head the jury at this year's Cannes Film Festival, organisers said on Thursday.

Australian Blanchett, 48, who helped launch the "Time's Up" initiative this week following a string of sexual assault accusations against prominent men in the film industry, will become the 12th woman to lead the prestigious panel at Cannes, which kicks off on May 8.