Cannes Film Festival 2024 to Honor George Lucas, Hayao Miyazaki, and Meryl Streep

The 2024 festival, de Cannes Film Festival is set to celebrate the extraordinary careers of three cinematic legends by awarding them honorary Palme d'Or awards. American filmmaker George Lucas, creator of the iconic Star Wars franchise, and Studio Ghibli, led by Japanese animation master Hayao Miyazaki, will be honored for their significant contributions to the film industry. Joining them is American actress Meryl Streep, who will open the ceremony on May 14 and receive her own honorary Palme d'Or.

Meryl Streep, 74, is a Hollywood icon with an astonishing 21 Oscar nominations under her belt. She is renowned for her powerful performances in films such as "Kramer vs. Kramer" (1979), "Sophie's Choice" (1982), and "The Devil Wears Prada" (2006). This marks Streep's second appearance at thevaCannes Film Festival, 35 years after her first visit for "A Cry in the Dark," which earned her the Best Actress award.

Upon receiving news of the prestigious award, Streep expressed her gratitude, stating,"I am immensely honored to receive the news of this prestigious award. Winning an award at Cannes, for the international community of artists, has always represented the highest achievement in cinematographic art. Being in the shadow of those who have been honored before is scary and exciting in equal measure. I can't wait to get to France to thank everyone in person this May."

The president of the Cannes Film Festival, Iris Knobloch, and the general delegate, Thierry Frémau, declared, "We all have something of Meryl Streep inside us! We all have something inside us of «Kramer vs. Kramer», «Sophie's Choice», «Out of Africa», «The Bridges of Madison County», «The Devil Wears Prada» and «Mamma Mia!» Because she has spanned nearly 50 years of cinema and embodied countless masterpieces, Meryl Streep is part of our collective imagination, of our shared love for cinema."

Streep follows in the footsteps of other Hollywood luminaries who have received the honorary Palme d'Or, including Catherine Deneuve, Jane Fonda, Forest Whitaker, Tom Cruise, Jodie Foster, Michael Douglas, and Harrison Ford. She will be reunited with this year's festival jury president, director Greta Gerwig, with whom she collaborated on the 2019 film "Little Women."

The 77th edition of the Cannes Film Festival will take place from May 14 to 25, 2024. The honorary Palme d'Or awards for George Lucas, Studio Ghibli's Hayao Miyazaki, and Meryl Streep will be presented during the festival's opening ceremony on May 14 at the Grand Théâtre Lumière. These accolades recognize the immense impact these cinematic giants have had on the world of film, solidifying their places in the annals of cinema history.

Key Takeaways

• Meryl Streep to receive honorary Palme d'Or at 2024 Cannes Film Festival.
• Streep joins George Lucas and Studio Ghibli's Hayao Miyazaki as honorees.
• Streep's award marks her second appearance at Cannes, 35 years after her first.
• The 77th Cannes Film Festival takes place from May 14 to 25, 2024.
• Awards will be presented during the opening ceremony on May 14.