Barbra Streisand skips Cannes after a knee injury; says 'I am deeply honored to receive the honorary Palme d'Or'

Barbra Streisand announced on Sunday that she will not attend the Cannes Film Festival 's closing ceremony later this week where she was to receive an honorary Palme d'Or, after sustaining a knee injury.

The festival organizers said they would still honor the singer-actor despite her absence, according to a press release that carried Streisand's statement.

Barbra Streisand issues statement on skipping Cannes

"On the advice of my doctors, as I continue recovering from a knee injury, I am sadly unable to attend the Festival de Cannes this year," she said in the statement. "But I am deeply honored to receive the honorary Palme d'Or and had so been looking forward to celebrating the remarkable films of the 79th edition."

"I was also very much looking forward to spending time with colleagues whom I so admire - and, of course, returning to France, a place I have always loved," Streisand added. "My heartfelt thanks to the Festival, and to everyone who continues to support and champion the art of cinema."

About Barbra Streisand's honorary Palme d'Or

The occasion was set to mark the EGOT recipient’s first appearance at Cannes. She had said in a statement, “It is with a sense of pride and deep humility that I’m honored to join the company of past Honorary Palme d’Or recipients whose work has long inspired me. In these challenging times, movies have the ability to open our hearts and minds to stories that reflect our shared humanity, and to perspectives that remind us of both our fragility and our resilience. Cinema transcends borders and politics, and affirms the power of imagination to shape a more compassionate world”.

A press release from Cannes reads, in part, “Barbra Streisand has reached the pinnacle of the entertainment industry like no one before her. But this staggering record pales in comparison to her influence on pop culture in the second half of the 20th century”.

Previous honorary Palme d'Or winners

During its opening ceremony, the Cannes Film Festival gave Peter Jackson an honorary Palme d'Or.

It also surprised John Travolta on Friday with one ahead of the premiere of his directorial debut, "Propeller One-Way Night Coach" at the Cannes festival.

Previous honorary Palme recipients include Peter Jackson, Agnes Varda, Marco Bellocchio, Jodie Foster, Meryl Streep, Robert De Niro and Tom Cruise.Get the latest entertainment updates from the Times of India, along with the latest Hindi movies, upcoming Hindi movies in 2026 , and Telugu movies.”