For its 79th edition, the Cannes Film Festival is awarding its highest distinction—the Honorary Palme d’Or—to two titans of global cinema: Sir Peter Jackson and Barbra Streisand. Jackson will be honored during the opening ceremony, while Streisand will receive her award at the closing ceremony.

The Significance of the Honorary Palme d’Or

Created in 1939, the Cannes Film Festival spans 12 days dedicated to defending auteur cinema and promoting cultural diversity. While the traditional Palme d’Or rewards a single film in competition, the Honorary Palme d’Or is the ultimate crowning achievement, awarded outside of competition to recognize an entire lifetime devoted to the cinematic arts.

Jackson and Streisand join an exclusive pantheon of past recipients, which includes legends such as Jeanne Moreau, Jean-Luc Godard, Agnès Varda, Jane Fonda, Harrison Ford, Meryl Streep, and Catherine Deneuve.

Sir Peter Jackson: The Visionary Builder of Worlds

Honored at the Opening Ceremony | May 12, 2026

Born on October 31, 1961, in Pukerua Bay, New Zealand, Peter Jackson’s journey from crafting homemade gore films to directing the biggest fantasy saga in history is a testament to his unrelenting belief in cinematic magic.

• Early Beginnings: After receiving a Super 8 camera at age 8, Jackson began shooting his first stories with papier-mâché monsters. Forgoing university, he worked as a local newspaper photoengraver to save money for a 16mm camera.
• Indie and Gore Roots: He debuted with Bad Taste (1987), which was ironically presented at the Cannes film market. He followed up with Meet the Feebles (1989) and the cult-classic Braindead (1992), which won the Grand Prix at the Avoriaz Festival.
• International Breakthrough: His 1994 drama Heavenly Creatures stunned audiences, winning the Silver Lion at Venice, earning an Oscar nomination for its screenplay, and launching the career of Kate Winslet.
• The Middle-earth Revolution: From 2001 to 2003, Jackson made history by filming The Lord of the Rings trilogy simultaneously over 15 months. The franchise grossed nearly $3 billion globally and won 17 Oscars, including Best Director for Jackson in 2004.
• Technological Pioneer: Weta Digital, the special effects company he co-founded in 1993, revolutionized the industry. In 2005, he realized his childhood dream of directing King Kong, which took home three technical Oscars.
• Documentary Era: Jackson later applied his restorative genius to documentaries, earning a BAFTA nomination for the WWI film They Shall Not Grow Old (2018) and directing the acclaimed 8-hour Disney+ docuseries The Beatles: Get Back (2021).

Barbra Streisand: The Unstoppable Multi-Hyphenate

Honored at the Closing Ceremony | May 23, 2026

There is no other name in American entertainment history that embodies such pluralistic talent. Born on April 24, 1942, in Brooklyn, New York, Barbra Streisand is a singer, actress, director, and producer who has dominated show business for six decades.

• A Star is Born: Marked by the death of her father when she was just 15 months old, she dropped the second “a” from her first name as a teenager and began singing in Manhattan clubs. She signed with Columbia Records in 1962, and her 1963 debut, The Barbra Streisand Album, won three Grammy Awards, including Album of the Year.
• Conquering Stage and Screen: She triumphed on Broadway in Funny Girl in 1963. The 1968 film adaptation earned her the Academy Award for Best Actress (a historic tie with Katharine Hepburn). She went on to star in Hello, Dolly! (1969) and The Way We Were (1973). In 1976, she won her second Oscar for the original song “Evergreen” from A Star is Born.
• Breaking the Glass Ceiling: With Yentl (1983)—which she produced, directed, wrote, and starred in—Streisand made history as the first woman to win the Golden Globe for Best Director. She continued directing with The Prince of Tides (1991) and The Mirror Has Two Faces (1996).
• Unmatched Record: Streisand has sold over 150 million records worldwide, with 71 million certified in the US alone. She is the only artist to have a number-one album on the Billboard 200 across six consecutive decades.
• EGOT Legacy: Her staggering list of accolades includes 2 Oscars, 10 Grammys, 5 Emmys, a Tony Award, 9 Golden Globes, 4 Peabody Awards, and the Presidential Medal of Freedom. In 2007, French President Nicolas Sarkozy awarded her the insignia of Officer of the Legion of Honour. In 2023, she released her 992-page bestselling memoir, My Name is Barbra.