Veteran Hollywood actor and filmmaker Jodie Foster will receive the honorary Palme d'or at the 2021 Cannes Film Festival, the organisers announced Wednesday. The 58-year-old actor said Cannes holds a special place in her career spanning over five decades. She first attended the film gala in 1976 as a teenager with Taxi Driver, which ultimately left with the Palme d'or, the highest prize awarded at the festival. "Cannes is a festival to which I owe so much, it has completely changed my life. My first time on the Croisette was a defining moment for me. Showcasing one of my films here has always been a dream of mine," said Jodie in a statement.
A child prodigy, the actor is best known for her Academy Award winning turns in The Accused and The Silence of the Lambs, along with other notable titles like Sommersby, Panic Room and Flightplan. Jodie made her directorial debut in 1991 with Little Man Tate.I am flattered that Cannes thought of me and I am very honoured to be able to share a few words of wisdom or tell an adventure or two with a new generation of filmmakers," she added. Festival President Pierre Lescure said Jodie has provided the team with an amazing gift by coming to celebrate the return of the festival on the Croisette. Cannes Film Festival was cancelled last year in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic. "Her aura is unparalleled: she embodies modernity, the radiant intelligence of independence and the need for freedom," added Pierre Lescure. Previous recipients of the honorary Palme d'Or include Jeanne Moreau, Bernardo Bertolucci, Jane Fonda, Jean-Paul Belmondo, Manoel de Oliveira, Jean-Pierre Leaud, Agnès Varda and Alain Delon.