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Perth director gets Cannes slot

The Australian apocalyptic thriller These Final Hours has been selected to make its international premiere during the Cannes film festival.

The film by Perth director Zak Hilditch will screen during the Directors' Fortnight, a section held in parallel with the Festival de Cannes in May.

These Final Hours, the directorial debut feature by Hilditch, tells the story of a troubled young man who makes his way to the party-to-end-all-parties on the last day on Earth, but ends up saving the life of a little girl searching for her father.

MORE: Happy ending for Hilditch

Screen Australia chief executive Graeme Mason says selection for the Directors' Fortnight places Hilditch as one of Australia's new feature film directors to watch.

"We are excited to see how international audiences respond to what is a phenomenal feature debut, created by a talented young team of actors and filmmakers," he said.

This is the third Australian film selected to be showcased in Cannes this year, with David Michod's highly anticipated The Rover selected for a Midnight Screening and Rolf de Heer's powerful drama Charlie's Country screening in Un Certain Regard as part of the film festival.

The Australian presence will be further emphasised with attendance of Nicole Kidman for her film Grace of Monaco, which is scheduled to open the festival.

Ben Mendelsohn's Lost River will screen in Un Certain Regard and is eligible for the Camera d'Or; Maps to the Stars, starring Mia Wasikowska, is screening In Competition alongside The Homesman with Miranda Otto.

Zak Hilditch directing Nathan Phillips and Jess de Gouw in these These Final Hours. Picture: David Dare Parker