Cannes Film Festival: Michael Douglas to Receive Honorary Palme d’Or
The “Wall Street” and “Fatal Attraction” star to receive the lifetime achievement honour for his lengthy career at the Film Festival's opening ceremony.
“Wall Street, “Basic Instinct” and “Fatal Attraction” star Michael Douglas will receive an honorary Palme d’Or for lifetime achievement at this year’s Cannes Film Festival. Michael Douglas will receive the Palme d’Or d’honneur at the opening ceremony for the 76th Festival de Cannes on May 16, where the festival will pay tribute to his “brilliant career [and] his engagement for cinema.”
Douglas first appeared on Cannes’ legendary red-carpet steps in 1979, together with Jane Fonda, Jack Lemmon, and director James Bridges, for the premiere of “The China Syndrome”. He returned for the 1992 competition bow of Paul Verhoeven’s “Basic Instinct”, the film that rocketed Sharon Stone to superstardom, and was back a year later for the Cannes competition premiere of Joel Schumacher’s “Falling Down”. Douglas’ last official Cannes appearance was for Steven Soderbergh’s 2013 Liberace biopic “Behind the Candelabra”, where he played the famous pianist.
“It is always a breath of fresh air to be at Cannes, which has long provided a wonderful platform for bold creators, artistic audacities and excellence in storytelling,” said Douglas in a statement. “From my first time here in 1979 for “The China Syndrome” to my most recent premiere for “Behind the Candelabra” in 2013, the Festival has always reminded me that the magic of cinema is not just in what we see onscreen but, in its ability, to impact people all around the world. After more than 50 years in the business, it’s an honor to return to the Croisette to open the Festival and embrace our shared global language of film.”
As part of its tribute to Douglas, the Cannes Film Festival will screen the previously-unreleased documentary “Michael Douglas, The Prodigal Son” by director Amine Mesta, on the festival website over two days, from May 14-16.