Oscar-winning actress Michelle Yeoh is set to receive Kering’s Women in Motion award at the Cannes Film Festival next month.
The honour recognises creativity and contributions from women in arts and culture, both in front of and behind the camera. Malaysian-born Yeoh was named best actress at this year’s Academy Awards for her performance in Everything Everywhere All at Once, the first Asian actress to win an Oscar in the category.
“I am convinced that times are changing,” said Yeoh. “It’s vital that women – in front of the camera and behind it – keep playing roles and telling stories that reflect the diversity and complexity of the world.”
The prize will be awarded at a ceremony held during an official dinner as part of an ongoing partnership between Kering and the Cannes Film Festival, which runs May 16-27. Yeoh was on the Cannes jury in 2002.
The Women in Motion programme was launched during the festival in 2015 and has previously honoured Jane Fonda, Geena Davis, Susan Sarandon, Isabelle Huppert, Patty Jenkins, Gong Li, Salma Hayek and Viola Davis.
Announcing Yeoh as this year’s recipient, Cannes’ director Thierry Fremaux said: “Throughout her career, she has relentlessly explored new possibilities – to the point where this has become her trademark for a large international audience. The awards she is receiving are simply the inevitable outcome of this exceptional journey.”
Yeoh has appeared in more than 70 features and series over four decades including iconic roles in Ang Lee’s Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, Rob Marshall’s Memoirs Of A Geisha, Roger Spottiswoode’s Tomorrow Never Dies, Danny Boyle’s Sunshine and Jon Chu’s Crazy Rich Asians.
Kering, a France-based multinational corporation specialising in luxury goods, will also give its annual Emerging Talent Award to a female director for her debut feature and will host a series of Women in Motion talks with talent that has yet to be announced.
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