George Lucas, father of the Star Wars saga, will receive the Palme d’Honneur on May 25, during the closing ceremony of the 77th Cannes Film Festival, the organizers announced on Tuesday April 9. “The Cannes Film Festival has always held a special place in my heart,” comments George Lucas in a festival press release. I was surprised and delighted when my first film, THX-1138, was selected to be screened on the Croisette in 1971.” “Since then, I have returned to the festival numerous times as a screenwriter, director and producer . I am truly honored by this special recognition, which means a lot to me. »
The Cannes Film Festival compares the director to J.R.R. Tolkien, writer and creator of The Lord of the Rings. George Lucas “imagines a universe, with its geography, its populations, its languages, its moral values ??and even its vehicles.” Through “the nine episodes of the Star Wars saga – four of which were directed by himself – George Lucas built a Hollywood empire”, further salutes the festival, the next edition of which will take place from May 14 to 25.
“Outstanding producer”
This Hollywood monument, 79 years old, “has forever given the blockbuster its letters of nobility and spectators around the world an unparalleled pleasure”, still praise Cannes officials.
George Lucas is also “an outstanding producer”, as the festival reminds us: beyond Star Wars, he is “associated with the development of legendary films by several directors ranging from Akira Kurosawa’s Kagemusha to the Indiana Jones saga, which ‘he imagined (initiated by Steven Spielberg behind the camera)’.
The official Cannes selection will be revealed on Thursday. The presence of big names in Hollywood cinema has already been noted. Kevin Costner returns to the western with Horizon: An American Saga, presented out of competition. Still out of competition, Furiosa, the new part of George Miller’s Mad Max franchise, will have the honor of the red carpet with its stars Anya Taylor-Joy and Chris Hemsworth.
