Barbra Streisand will receive an honorary Palme d’Or at the Cannes Film Festival in May.
“It is with pride and deep humility that I am honored to join the ranks of past honorary Palme d’Or winners who have been an inspiration to me over the years,” Streisand said in a statement Wednesday. “In these difficult times, films have the power to open our hearts to stories that reflect our common humanity and perspectives that remind us of both fragility and resilience. Film transcends borders and politics and affirms the power of imagination to shape a more compassionate world.”
This occasion marks the EGOT winner’s first appearance at Cannes. She will be awarded the Palme d’Or at the festival’s ceremony on May 23rd.
“Barbra Streisand, a global star, is above all an artist, reflecting who she is, being herself, and launching projects that she will share with the whole world,” said festival director Thierry Frémaux. “She is a legendary blend between Broadway and Hollywood, the music hall stage and the big screen. Hearing her sing and seeing her perform are some of our best years.”
A Cannes press release announcing the news reads in part: “Barbra Streisand reached the pinnacle of the entertainment industry like no one before her. But this incredible record pales in comparison to her influence on pop culture in the second half of the 20th century.”
Previous Palme Honor recipients include Peter Jackson, Agnes Varda, Marco Bellocchio, Jodie Foster, Meryl Streep, Robert De Niro and Tom Cruise.
The press release also cited Streisand’s philanthropic efforts, including the Barbra Streisand Women’s Heart Center at Cedars-Sinai Heart Institute and the Streisand Foundation’s support of gender and minority equality, LGBTQ+ rights, environmental issues, medical research, and arts education for underprivileged children.
The 79th Cannes Film Festival will be held from May 12th to 23rd.
As previously reported by Variety, Streisand will appear at Sunday’s Oscars in a memorial segment honoring her late “The Way We Were” co-star Robert Redford.
