Barbra Streisand may be keeping herself out of Cannes this year due to a knee injury, but it wasn’t enough to stop her from sending a special video message to the festival’s closing ceremony, where she won the Palme d’Or in absentia.
“In this crazy, unstable world that seems to be becoming more fractured by the day, it’s so moving to see that movies have the magical power to bring us together,” she told the audience. “I’m so proud to be a part of this community. Long live the movies, Merci Beaucoup!”
Streisand had planned to attend Cannes to receive the honorary Palme Award in person, but announced that she was told midway through the film festival that she should not travel.
“On the advice of my doctors, I will unfortunately not be able to attend this year’s Cannes Film Festival as I continue to recover from a knee injury,” she said in a statement on Sunday. “However, we were extremely honored to win the prestigious Palme d’Or and were very much looking forward to celebrating the 79th edition of this great film.”
“I was also very much looking forward to spending time with my colleagues, whom I greatly respect, and, of course, returning to France, a place I have always loved. While I am disappointed that I will not be there in person, I would like to extend my heartfelt congratulations to all the filmmakers from around the world whose extraordinary talent and creative vision will be celebrated this year. Thank you so much to the festival and to everyone who continues to support and champion the art of film.”
Streisand is the third recipient of this year’s honorary Palme d’Or, joining legendary Lord of the Rings director Peter Jackson on opening night and John Travolta, who surprised him with the award after the premiere of his directorial debut, Propeller Night Bus.
“This is beyond the Oscars,” Travolta said through tears. “I can’t believe it. I didn’t expect anything like this.”
