Image copyright Reuters Image caption The Coen brothers' films include Fargo, Barton Fink and The Big Lebowski

The Coen brothers, the Oscar-winning directors of No Country for Old Men, Fargo and The Big Lebowski, are to head this year's Cannes Film Festival jury.

Joel and Ethan Coen will act as co-presidents of the panel of film-makers and actors who will judge the contenders in the main competition.

The US siblings, who are 60 and 57 respectively, won the festival's Palme d'Or prize for Barton Fink in 1991.

"We look forward to returning to Cannes this year," they said in a statement.

"We welcome as always the opportunity to watch movies there from all over the world."

It will be the first time the French festival's competition jury is chaired by two people.

"Cannes is a festival that has been important to us since the very beginning of our career," the Coens continued.

"Presiding over the jury is a special honour, since we have never heretofore been president of anything.

"We will issue further proclamations at the appropriate time."

Trophy haul

The brothers have a long history with Cannes, having shown seven out of their 16 features at the event.

Barton Fink also won them the festival's best director award, an accolade they received again for Fargo in 1996 and The Man Who Wasn't There in 2001.

They were last honoured at the event in 2013, when Inside Llewyn Davis was awarded its Grand Jury prize.

The Coens' trophy cabinet also boasts four Oscars, two Baftas and a Golden Globe.

The 2015 Cannes Film Festival takes place from 13 to 24 May. Its official line-up and and the other jury members will be announced in April.