Barbra Streisand, the American icon who is now 83, is set to receive the Palme d’Or for lifetime achievement at the 79th Cannes Film Festival. The honor will be presented on May 23 during the closing gala. For the EGOT winner (Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, Tony), this marks her first visit to the Côte d’Azur festival.
Festival director Thierry Frémaux hails Streisand as a “legendary synthesis between Broadway and Hollywood.” The festival leadership also notes that her unrivaled success in the industry is nearly eclipsed by her enormous influence on pop culture in the second half of the 20th century.
The award places Streisand in a line with other cinema legends who have received this honor in the past, such as Meryl Streep, Jodie Foster, Robert De Niro, and Tom Cruise. In addition to her artistic body of work, the festival leadership also highlights her philanthropic efforts. Notably, they point to the Barbra Streisand Women’s Heart Center she founded, as well as her advocacy for equality, environmental issues, and education.
Peter Jackson will also be honored
Last week, Cannes festival organizers had already announced that Peter Jackson (64), the New Zealand-born director, will receive the Palme d’Or at this year’s edition. Streisand will be honored on the closing night, while the New Zealand filmmaker will receive his prize at the opening ceremony. The 79th Cannes Film Festival runs from May 12 through May 23.
According to reports, Barbra Streisand is slated for another major appearance this weekend: at the Academy Awards ceremony in the early hours of Monday, she is expected to honor her late “The Way We Were” co-star Robert Redford (1936-2025) in the In Memoriam segment.
