The choice silences weeks of rumors that Meryl Streep was in line for the job. Wenders will preside over a jury that will pick a winner from a 22-film competition lineup that for each of the past two years was made up entirely of world premieres.

He first appeared at Venice in 1972 with "Die Angst des Tormanns beim Elfmeter" (The Goalkeeper's Fear of the Penalty Kick), his first feature film. He won the Golden Lion in Venice a decade later for "Der Stand der Dinge" (The State of Things) and has since taken home two sidebar prizes from Venice.

Wenders received an Oscar nomination for his 1999 documentary "Buena Vista Social Club."

Reuters/Hollywood Reporter