Michael Douglas is the Star of this Year's Cannes Festival

The Cannes Film Festival will award an honorary Palme d'Or to Hollywood star Michael Douglas this month, adding it to his long list of accolades. Festival organizers, one of the largest cinema events in the world, announced today that they will honor the two-time Oscar-winning actor during the festival's opening ceremony on May 16, in recognition of his "remarkable career as well as his contributions to the world of cinema." Douglas stated in a press release, "It’s always exciting to be at Cannes, which has long provided a wonderful platform for creativity, artistic boldness, and excellence in storytelling." He added, "Since my first time here in 1979 for the screening of 'The China Syndrome' to the latest premiere of my film 'Behind the Candelabra' in 2013... the festival always reminds me that the magic of cinema is not just in what we see on screen but in its ability to impact people around the world." Among previous award winners are the late French director Agnès Varda and actress Jodie Foster. The 77th edition of the Cannes Festival will take place from May 16 to 27.