Barbra Streisand Earns Honorary Palme d’Or at Cannes

Barbra Streisand will be awarded an honorary Palme d’Or during the 79th Cannes Film Festival in May, marking her debut appearance at the event. The award is a recognition of her long‑standing influence on cinema and popular culture. The ceremony will take place on May 23, the day the festival hands out its top prizes. Streisand expressed gratitude for the honor, noting that films can open hearts and minds, especially during tough times. She believes movies help us see our shared humanity and inspire compassion across borders. Festival director Thierry Frémaux praised Streisand as a global star who blends Broadway, Hollywood and music hall traditions into one unique artistic voice. He said her performances are among the best of our era.Cannes highlighted Streisand’s record as an EGOT winner—an achievement few have matched. The press release also pointed out her lasting impact on 20th‑century pop culture, beyond the awards she has received. Her philanthropy is also on display: she founded a women’s heart centre at Cedars‑Sinai, supports the Streisand Foundation’s work on gender equality, LGBTQ+ rights, environmental causes, medical research and arts education for underprivileged children. Previous recipients of the honorary Palme d’Or include Peter Jackson, Agnès Varda, Marco Bellocchio, Jodie Foster, Meryl Streep, Robert De Niro and Tom Cruise.