Elijah Wood Presents Peter Jackson With Cannes Honorary Palme d’Or
Deadline • • entertainment
Key Points:
- Peter Jackson was honored with the Honorary Palme d’Or at the opening ceremony of the 79th Cannes Film Festival, with Elijah Wood, star of The Lord of the Rings trilogy, presenting the award.
- Wood reflected on his life-changing experience meeting Jackson at age 10 and being cast as Frodo Baggins, highlighting Jackson's significant impact on his life.
- Jackson has a long history with Cannes, first attending in 1988 with his debut film Bad Taste and returning in 2001 to preview The Lord of the Rings footage; his recent works include They Shall Not Grow Old and The Beatles: Get Back.
- The ceremony featured a rock-heavy performance of The Beatles' "Get Back" by local artists in tribute to Jackson’s passion for the band, followed by the festival’s opening film The Electric Kiss.
- The festival’s jury, led by Park Chan-Wook, and stars including Gong Li, Jane Fonda, Joan Collins, and Elijah Wood participated in the opening events, with 22 films competing for the Palme d’Or starting Wednesday.