Barbra Streisand has shared a video message with the Cannes Film Festival after a knee injury prevented her from attending the closing ceremony to receive an honorary Palme d'Or. The 84-year-old singer and filmmaker appeared on the big screen on Saturday, thanking the festival and reflecting on her love of cinema.
In the message, Streisand recalled being mesmerised by films as an adolescent. 'They were so powerful that they're still in my head,' she said. 'I wanted to be an actress and live in those other more interesting worlds.' She added that movies taught her to think critically and ask the right questions, noting that she was 'thinking like a director' without realising it.
Streisand spoke about the challenges of making her directorial debut with 'Yentl' in 1981. 'I was a woman, which was an obstacle to people. Even worse, was an actress who wanted to direct. So every studio turned me down,' she said. The project remained on the verge of collapse for 15 years, but she insisted, 'I had to make this movie.'
Concluding her address, Streisand praised the festival's role in uniting people through film. 'In this crazy volatile world that seems more fractured every day, it's reassuring to see the compelling movies at this festival, by artists from many countries,' she said. 'Film has that magical ability to unite us, opening our hearts and mind.'
The honorary Palme d'Or was presented on stage by French actress Isabelle Huppert. Streisand had earlier announced her absence in a statement, explaining that doctors advised her to continue recovering from a knee injury. She expressed regret at missing the event but congratulated the filmmakers being celebrated this year.
