Cannes 2024: Meryl Streep Receives Palme d'Or; Greta Gerwig's #MeToo Advocacy Takes Center Stage

Reflecting on her journey, Meryl Streep shared poignant memories of her previous Cannes appearance, highlighting the challenges faced by actresses at the time and crediting her enduring success to the collaboration with talented artists like Gerwig. Meanwhile, Greta Gerwig, director of Barbie and president of this year's Cannes jury, addressed the #MeToo movement, emphasizing the importance of storytelling in driving positive change within the film industry.

Hyderabad:During the opening ceremony of the 77th Cannes Film Festival, Meryl Streep, the renowned actor, was bestowed with an honorary Palme d'Or, as reported by an International daily. Juliette Binoche, the French actress, presented the prestigious award to Streep, evoking a thunderous 2.5-minute standing ovation from the packed Grand Lumiere Theatre, which included Greta Gerwig, Streep's director in Little Women and the current president of the Cannes jury. Meanwhile, Greta Gerwig, the director of Barbie, addressed the burgeoning #MeToo movement during the jury press conference.

Upon being called to the stage and handed the gold-plated emblem of the city of Cannes, the 74-year-old noted that the last time she was at Cannes, she was about to turn 40 and was a mother of three. "I thought that my career was over -- and that was not an unrealistic expectation for actresses at that time," she said, further adding, "and the only reason that I'm here tonight and that it continued is because of the very gifted artists with whom I've worked, including madame la president (Gerwig)."

Streep, visibly moved by the tribute, graciously accepted the accolade, expressing her deep honor and gratitude. She took the opportunity to thank her agent, Kevin Huvane, and her longtime hair and makeup stylist, J Roy Helland, acknowledging their significant contributions to her illustrious career spanning five decades. "You changed the way we look at women," said Binoche, choking with emotion as Streep comforted her.

Prior to the commencement of the award ceremony, Greta, at the press conference, emphasised the power of storytelling in driving positive change. Gerwig expressed support for initiatives aimed at improving the film industry's culture. As the president of this year's competition jury, Gerwig plays a pivotal role in awarding the coveted Palme d'Or at the culmination of the 11-day festival, underscoring her commitment to championing meaningful cinema.

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