A knee injury may have kept Barbra Streisand away from Cannes this year, but it wasn’t enough to stop her sending a special video message for the festival’s closing ceremony, where she was honored in absentia with the Palme d’Or.
“In this crazy volatile world that seems more fractured every day, it’s so moving to see how film has that magical ability to unite us,” she told the audience. “I’m so proud to be part of this community, so merci beaucoup and vive la cinema!”
Streisand had been due to attend Cannes to collect the honorary Palme in person, but midway through the festival announced that she’d been told she shouldn’t travel.
“On the advice of my doctors, as I continue recovering from a knee injury, I am sadly unable to attend the Festival de Cannes this year,” she said in a statement on Sunday. “But I am deeply honored to receive the honorary Palme d’Or and had so been looking forward to celebrating the remarkable films of the 79th edition.”
She added: “I was also very much looking forward to spending time with colleagues whom I so admire — and, of course, returning to France, a place I have always loved. While I regret that I can’t be there in person, I want to extend my warmest congratulations to all of the filmmakers from around the world whose extraordinary talent and creative vision are being celebrated this year. My heartfelt thanks to the Festival, and to everyone who continues to support and champion the art of cinema.”
Streisand is the third recipient of the honorary Palme d’Or this year alongside legendary “Lord of the Rings” filmmaker Peter Jackson on the opening night and John Travolta, who was surprised with award following the premiere of his directorial debut “Propeller One-Way Night Coach.”
“This is beyond the Oscar,” Travolta said through tears. “I can’t believe this. This is the last thing I expected.”