Peter Jackson and Elijah Wood Come Together at Cannes as the Actor Honors the Director with a Special Award
Peter Jackson reunited with actor Elijah Wood at the Cannes Film Festival on Tuesday, where Wood presented him with the Honorary Palme d’Or during the opening ceremony of the festival’s 79th edition.
“I’ve still got to work out why I am getting a Palme d’Or; I am not a Palme d’Or type of guy,” Jackson remarked while accepting the prestigious award.
Wood reflected on his early encounter with Jackson, recalling that he was just 10 years old when the director arrived in Los Angeles, alongside partner Fran Walsh, to audition young actors for the role of Frodo Baggins.
“A little later, when I was told I was going to be in the film, I sat down on the floor and realized that in my life, there was a before and an after, and I’m not the only one whose life Peter Jackson changed,” Wood said.
Jackson, who first attended Cannes in 1988 with his debut film Bad Taste, returned in 2001 for a notable preview event showcasing footage from the first installment of The Lord of the Rings.
His recent works include the World War One documentary They Shall Not Grow Old (2018), which features restored and colorized archival footage, and the miniseries The Beatles: Get Back (2021).
In a tribute to Jackson’s admiration for The Beatles, local artists Theodora and Oklou, a member of this year’s Cannes Critics’ Week jury, delivered a rock-infused rendition of “Get Back,” to the delight of Jackson.
The ceremony at the Palais des Festivals preceded the festival’s opening night film, The Electric Kiss, directed by Pierre Salvadori and starring Pio Marmaï, Anaïs Demoustier, Vimala Pons, and Gilles Lellouche.
Earlier in the ceremony, jury president Park Chan-Wook, along with jury members Demi Moore, Chloé Zhao, Stellan Skarsgård, Ruth Negga, Laura Wandel, Diego Céspedes, Isaach De Bankolé, and Paul Laverty, took the stage to address the audience.
Actresses Gong Li and Jane Fonda were tasked with officially declaring the festival open, followed by a traditional photo call featuring the jury, Palme d’Or honoree Jackson, and Wood.
Other stars on the red carpet included Joan Collins, Diego Luna, James Franco, Alia Bhatt, Elijah Wood, and Tyrese Gibson.
This year, 22 films are competing for the Cannes Palme d’Or, with screenings commencing on Wednesday, featuring Koji Fukada’s Nagi Notes and Charline Bourgeois-Tacquet’s A Woman’s Life.
