Meryl Streep honoured in emotional ceremony as Cannes opens
CANNES – The Cannes Film Festival officially kicked off on the night of May 14 as celebrities walked the red carpet into the plush Grand Theatre Lumiere to honour Hollywood actor Meryl Streep, before settling in to watch the 2024 festival’s opening film, The Second Act.
The French comedy's cast, including Lea Seydoux and Vincent Lindon, were joined by actor Jane Fonda, model Heidi Klum and Messi, the dog star of 2023's Palme d'Or winner Anatomy Of A Fall, as well as this year's jury, headed by Greta Gerwig.
Ahead of the ceremony, French singer Zaho de Sagazan performed David Bowie's Modern Love in the theatre aisles to honour Gerwig's black-and-white dance scene in Frances Ha (2012).
Gerwig sang along and seemed visibly touched by the performance as de Sagazan got on stage to kiss her hand.
The audience gave a minutes-long ovation for Streep when she took the stage in a simple white gown and black-frame glasses, welcomed by French actor Juliette Binoche in a red dress.
“I’m just so grateful that you haven’t gotten sick of my face,” Streep, 74, joked to the audience as she received her honorary Palme d’Or from Binoche.
Streep – whose long list of films includes Death Becomes Her (1992), Mamma Mia! (2008) and The Iron Lady (2011) – listed people she wanted to thank.
"It's like looking out the window of a bullet train," she said of the montage that played of all her films.
"My mother, who was usually right about everything, said to me, 'Meryl, darling, you'll see. It all goes so fast. So fast.' And it has. Except for my speech," Streep told the audience.
Besides Streep, Hollywood A-listers flocking to the Cote d’Azur for the festival that runs to May 25 included legendary directors George Lucas and Francis Ford Coppola. – REUTERS, AFP
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