Barbra Streisand to skip Cannes Film Festival following knee injury, says "Regret that I can't be there"
Los Angeles, May 18
Singer-actor Barbra Streisand has pulled out of the closing ceremony at the Cannes Film Festival following a knee injury.
The 84-year-old, in a statement, revealed that she won't be able to accept her honourary Palme d'Or award in person at the ceremony scheduled for May 23, as per People.
"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. But I am deeply honoured to receive the honorary Palme d'Or and have so been looking forward to celebrating the remarkable films of the 79th edition," she said.
Streisand noted how she was looking forward to spending more time with her colleagues.
"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. While I regret that I can't be there in person, I want to extend my warmest congratulations to all of the filmmakers from around the world whose extraordinary talent and creative vision are being celebrated this year," she shared.
Even though Streisand revealed her decision, she refrained from sharing the details of her injury or the expected timeline for recovery.
Nonetheless, the Cannes Film Festival's closing ceremony will witness a celebration for Streisand on Saturday.
"Iris Knobloch, Thierry Fremaux and the entire festival team send Barbra Streisand their warmest wishes for a prompt recovery," the festival said in a statement, as quoted by People.
Streisand is among the recipients of this year's Palme d'Or awards, joining the likes of John Travolta and Peter Jackson. She last appeared at the 98th annual Academy Awards on March 15, offering a tribute to her 'The Way We Were' co-star, the late Robert Redford.
— ANI
Reader Comments
Barbra Streisand is a legend! But Cannes? They only care about Hollywood and European films. Indian cinema rarely gets any love there. My friends in Mumbai were discussing this - they said even Satyajit Ray's work doesn't get the same hype. Anyway, get well soon, Barbra ji!
Wait, she's 84?! She looks amazing for her age. This Palme d'Or thing reminds me of our own Dadasaheb Phalke awards - both celebrate lifetime achievement. But the irony is, while Cannes honours Western artists, our actors like Amitabh Bachchan also have global appeal but get lesser international recognition. Hope she recovers and maybe next year she can visit!
I've always admired her work in 'Funny Girl'! But these days, with our own Bollywood actors struggling with knee issues too - like Hrithik Roshan had one - it's a common problem for dancers. To be honest, I wish the festival had a virtual option for her to accept the award. Why can't they Zoom? Even our Indian weddings have gone hybrid! 😄
Streisand is an icon, but I feel for the French organisers. They've probably planned a huge tribute. Reminds me of how Karan Johar's 'Rocky Aur Rani' cancellation due to a cast injury caused chaos in Bollywood. Anyway, wishing her a speedy recovery. And 84 years old still working - that's inspiring for our industry where many retire early after one flop.
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