Cannes Film Festival 2025: Denzel Washington gets surprise honorary Palme d'Or
US actor Denzel Washington received a surprise honorary Palme d'Or award at the Cannes Film Festival on Monday evening in recognition of his outstanding career, according to organisers.
Washington, 70, was in southern France for the premiere of US director Spike Lee's latest film Highest 2 Lowest, an adaptation of legendary Japanese filmmaker Akira Kurosawa's High and Low, which also celebrated its premiere on Monday.
Washington, who was joined by co-stars A$AP Rocky and Jeffrey Wright on the red carpet, stars as David King in the crime thriller that marks the fifth time he and Lee have worked together.
The two-time Oscar winner's movie roles have ranged from black activist Malcolm X, to a drunk but heroic pilot in Flight. His turn as a rogue detective in Training Day earned him his second Oscar in 2002 following his first win in 1990 for Glory.
He also directed and starred in the 2007 film The Great Debaters about a professor who coached a debate team from a black U.S. college to national glory, and produced and starred in the drama Antwone Fisher.
Robert De Niro received a Palme d'Or honorary award for lifetime achievement, announced in advance, at the festival's opening ceremony last week.
Highest 2 Lowest is set to hit theatres in the US on August 22.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The National
20 hours ago
- The National
Best photos of June 6: D-Day landings anniversary to Eid Al Adha
Yves Holbecq from the Somme Battlefield Pipe Band plays at sunrise to mark the 81st anniversary of the D-Day landings, on Gold Beach near Arromanches-les-Bains, Normandy, France. Getty Images
Zawya
20 hours ago
- Zawya
The sixth edition of the European Film Festival in Mauritius: 5 dates, 5 locations, 10 films, 7 European Union (EU) Member States to celebrate Europe Day!
This sixth edition of the European Film Festival Mauritius, organised from 3 to 30 May 2025 to mark Europe Day and the 75th anniversary of the Schuman Declaration, featured films from seven EU Member States, various film genres as well as a ' clin d'oeil' to Mauritius-Europe collaboration in cinema. Freedom, resilience, solidarity and exchange were the key words of the Festival that has gathered 500 spectators in 5 locations of the island. Each screening had a specific theme, from Ukraine and German-speaking films to EU-Mauritius cooperation in cinema. The Ambassador, Oskar Benedikt stated : ' The European Film Festival aims to bring Europe closer to citizens through free screenings of films across Mauritius. Several evenings, several places, different themes.' The opening night took place in the magnificent garden of the Château de Labourdonnais with the screening of the Hungarian short film 'Under the volcano' and the visually stunning French feature film ' Le Règne Animal', selected in the ' Un Certain Regard Section ' of the 2023 Cannes Film Festival. The second screening was dedicated to Ukraine. Several members of the Ukrainian Association of Mauritius, wearing the traditional shirt (vyshyvanka), gathered to watch the Ukrainian short film 'It's a date' by Nadia Parfan and the Polish feature film 'Under the volcano' by Damian Kocur about a Ukrainian family stranded in Tenerife, Spain when Russia launched its war of aggression against Ukraine. While addressing the audience, Mr Marios Vitos, Head of Political, Press and Information Section at the EU Delegation stated that this 'special Ukraine' screening was a sign of our solidarity with Ukraine and its people. The President of the Ukrainian Association of Mauritius said : ' We are deeply grateful to the European Film Festival for dedicating a screening to Ukraine as an act of cultural solidarity. Seeing 'It's a Date' by Nadia Parfan included in the program, and especially 'Under the Volcano', which portrays the abrupt loss of home and normality experienced by a Ukrainian family, brought a meaningful feeling to our community: the feeling of being seen. At a time when the war in Ukraine risks fading into background noise for much of the world, creating space for Ukrainian stories – especially far from Europe – is powerful. It helps preserve memory, affirm identity, and remind us that behind every headline are human lives.' On the programme of the third outdoor screening, two German-speaking films including 'The Endlosen' (Germany, 2024), and a feature film 'Mermaids don't cry' (Austria, 2022) from the catalogue of the Goethe Institute-Institut français-Cineuropa Consortium. For the fourth screening at the Pointe Canon Open Air Theatre in Mahebourg - a small village on the South East coast of the island, an important historical and cultural place for Mauritians - the Festival put a focus on Mauritius-Europe cooperation in cinema with the short film 'Bann Vag Laliberte' by Mauritian film director Christopher Amurat and Spanish producer Javier Olivas and the Belgian feature film 'Mo'Zar, Mon Style' by Sebastien Peretti about Nolwenn, a Mauritian girl who joins Mo'zar Espace Artistic to learn piano. Two powerful stories with two young Mauritian main characters about resilience and hope. The screening was followed by a small concert by several students from Mo'zar Espace Artistic that provides musical training to children in Roche Bois, an impoverished suburb of the capital-city that has acquired a negative reputation. The final screening started with a short film 'Pie dan lo' by Mauritian film director Kim Yip Tong about the oil spill caused by the wreck of the Wakashio. Accompanied by her team, she gave a short presentation about their work and replied to questions from the audience concerning the techniques used to produce the 13-minute film depicting one of the most traumatic natural disasters in the country's history. The short film was followed by ' Angelo dans la forêt mystérieuse', an animation film for the young audience coproduced by France and Luxemburg. A number of organisations have supported the Festival including the Embassy of Austria in Kenya, the Institut français de Maurice, the Goethe Institute - Institut français - Cineuropa consortium as well as a number of local partners, in particular the Ministry of Arts and Culture and the Film Classification Board. Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Delegation of the European Union to the Republic of Mauritius and the Republic of Seychelles.
Khaleej Times
a day ago
- Khaleej Times
Yamal, Williams dazzle as Spain beat France in nine-goal thriller
Spain starlets Lamine Yamal and Nico Williams dazzled as La Roja beat France 5-4 in a thriller in Stuttgart on Thursday, to set up a Nations League final with Portugal. Yamal bagged a brace while Williams scored and provided an assist as the two wingers cut France's makeshift defence to ribbons. Mikel Merino and Pedri were also on the scoresheet for the Euro 2024 champions. Kylian Mbappe netted a second-half penalty, but Spain were 5-1 up and cruising, before Les Bleus suddenly woke up as their opponents took their foot off the pedal. France's three late goals -- a Rayan Cherki screamer, a Spain own goal and a stoppage time strike from Randal Kolo Muani -- were not enough. Spain held on to book an all-Iberian Nations League final against Cristiano Ronaldo and Portugal on Sunday in Munich, while France will face hosts Germany in Stuttgart for the bronze medal, earlier in the day. Returning to Germany where they won the European Championship in dominant fashion a year ago, Spain seem a more complete team, despite their late fadeout. France were more dangerous in the opening stages, with Didier Deschamps electing to channel his attack through Ousmane Dembele rather than Mbappe. Dembele, fresh from Paris Saint-Germain's Champions League triumph, created an early chance for Mbappe, but the Real Madrid superstar wasted it, electing to pass rather than shoot when one-on-one with the 'keeper. Minutes later, Spain escaped again as Theo Hernandez's long-range effort shaved the top of the crossbar. Spain made France pay soon after, when Williams and Oyarzabal, La Roja's two goalscorers in the Euro 2024 final, linked up with 22 minutes played. After a tear down the right, Yamal threaded it to Oyarzabal, who held off three defenders with his back to goal before finding Williams, who rifled his shot into the top of the net. Spain grabbed full hold of the match just three minutes later when Oyarzabal dinked the French defence, allowing Merino to collect and hammer past an off-balance Maignan. France had the better chances later in the half, with Dembele finding space in the box three times only to blast straight at a grateful Unai Simon. Just before half-time, the narrowest of offsides robbed Spain of what would have been an incredible third. In a clearly rehearsed free-kick play, Yamal found Martin Zubimendi behind the lines, who cut it back for Huijsen. The second-half played out line the first, with France missing two big chances before Spain again scored a quick-fire double. With 54 minutes played, Yamal won and converted a penalty, taking the ball from Williams before calmly slotting home. France were reeling but Spain's starlets had no sympathy, Williams setting up Pedri for a fourth just one minute later. Mbappe won and converted a penalty with 59 minutes played but Yamal stepped up again to snuff out French hopes of an unlikely comeback, scoring Spain's fifth with just over 20 minutes remaining. Spain made four changes a their thoughts turned to Sunday, allowing France to score two late consolation goals. Substitute Cherki scored a long-range effort and then forced Spain into conceding an own goal through Daniel Vivian. Kolo Muani's goal came in the fourth minute of stoppage time to cut the deficit to one, but France had left their comeback too late, as Spain held on.
