Barbra Streisand to Receive Honorary Palme d’Or in Cannes

Renowned singer, actress, and director Barbra Streisand will be honored by the Cannes Film Festival this year with an honorary Palme d’Or recognizing her lifetime achievements.

Cannes announced the award on Wednesday, describing Streisand as “an iconic artist and embodiment of the American dream in all its original splendor.”

The EGOT winner has never previously had a film featured at Cannes. She will make her first appearance on the Croisette stage this year, accepting the honorary Palme at the Cannes awards ceremony on May 23.

“I am filled with pride and deep humility to join the company of past Honorary Palme d’Or recipients whose work has long inspired me,” Streisand stated. “In these challenging times, films have the power to open our hearts and minds to stories that reflect our shared humanity, and to perspectives that remind us of both our fragility and resilience. Cinema transcends borders and politics, affirming the power of imagination to shape a more compassionate world.”

Among her numerous accomplishments in music, cinema, and stage, Streisand has won two Oscars [for best actress in Funny Girl (1968) and best original song for “Evergreen,” the love theme for A Star is Born (1976)]. Her win for best original song was the first for a woman. She has received 11 Golden Globes, including a best director award for Yentl (1983), marking her as the first female director to achieve this. Her music career, as one of the world’s most distinctive mezzo-sopranos, spans 37 studio albums and 13 movie soundtracks, with 10 Grammy awards and number one albums in six consecutive decades.

“This year, we were eager to honor an artist who has made a significant impact through her art and her relentless quest for freedom,” stated Cannes festival president Iris Knobloch. “As a woman, I am thrilled to express our admiration for this exceptional creator and courageous citizen, whose example endures and continues to inspire.”

Streisand has been a pioneering artist since her Broadway debut at 19, playing Miss Marmelstein in the 1962 musical I Can Get It for You Wholesale, a role that earned her a Tony Award nomination. Two years later, her portrayal of Fanny Brice in Funny Girl (1964) catapulted her to global stardom. Reprising the role on screen in William Wyler’s 1968 adaptation earned her an Oscar. Her extensive film career includes musicals like Hello, Dolly! (1969) and A Star Is Born (1976), melodramas such as The Prince of Tides (1991) and The Mirror Has Two Faces (1996), both of which she directed, and comedies like The Owl and the Pussycat (1970) and Meet the Fockers (2003).

“A global star, Barbra Streisand is, above all, an artist who initiates projects that reflect her identity and are uniquely hers, which she shares with the entire world,” stated Cannes festival director Thierry Frémaux. “She represents the legendary blend of Broadway and Hollywood, bridging the music hall stage and the big screen. Experiencing her singing and performances is part of our most cherished memories.”

The 79th Festival de Cannes takes place from May 12 to May 23. The festival will announce its official selection on April 9.