Overview
- Festival organizers announced on March 5 that Jackson will receive the non-competitive honor at the opening ceremony on May 12, in a year marking the 25th anniversary of The Lord of the Rings’ launch.
- The 79th edition runs May 12–23 in Cannes, with Park Chan-wook presiding over the competition jury and the lineup reveal set for April 9.
- Festival president Iris Knobloch and director Thierry Frémaux praised Jackson’s influence, with Frémaux saying there is “a before and an after Peter Jackson.”
- Jackson expressed gratitude and reflected on Cannes milestones, from bringing Bad Taste to the marketplace in 1988 to unveiling 26 minutes of The Fellowship of the Ring in 2001.
- The Honorary Palme d’Or recognizes enduring artistic impact, joining Jackson to a roster that includes Agnès Varda, Jodie Foster, Meryl Streep, Robert De Niro and Denzel Washington.