AceShowbiz - Julianne Moore is set to be honored with the Women in Motion Award by Kering during the Cannes Film Festival. The ceremony, an official event at Cannes, is scheduled for May 17 and will include notable attendees such as festival leaders and jury members.

The awards gala will also recognize Italian filmmaker Margherita Spampinato with the emerging talent award, highlighting her promising contributions to cinema.

Since its inception in 2015, the Women in Motion Awards have celebrated female artists whose careers and dedication have significantly advanced the role of women in both cinema and society. Past honorees include acclaimed figures such as Nicole Kidman, Donna Langley, Jane Fonda, Patty Jenkins, Geena Davis, Susan Sarandon, Viola Davis, Michelle Yeoh, and Salma Hayek Pinault. Alongside the awards, Kering's Women in Motion initiative at Cannes features live talks, podcasts, and other events that foster dialogue around gender and representation in the film industry.

Kering chairman François-Henri Pinault praised Julianne Moore for embodying the spirit of Women in Motion. He highlighted her consistent artistic choices, the depth and complexity of her performances, and her longstanding commitment to promoting meaningful representation, both on and off screen. According to Pinault, Moore has helped redefine the concept of what it means to be a leading woman in cinema.

As a frequent presence at Cannes, Moore is celebrated for her Oscar-winning role in Still Alice. Her extensive filmography includes acclaimed works such as Far From Heaven, The Hours, The Kids Are All Right, Boogie Nights, and more recent projects like May December, Echo Valley, The Room Next Door, Sirens, and Mary & George. She is also attached to star in an upcoming untitled musical comedy directed by Jesse Eisenberg for A24. Over the years, she has received top acting honors at major festivals including Berlin, Venice, and Cannes.

Expressing her gratitude, Moore said she is “genuinely grateful” to be recognized by Kering. She emphasized the importance of visibility and the power of storytelling in expanding the space for women and diverse voices both in front of and behind the camera. “Continuing to work together to amplify female and diverse voices and to support the next generation of creators helps build a cinema that is more open, more representative, while driving real change,” she added.

Cannes Film Festival president Iris Knobloch praised Moore for her courageous choice of roles, noting that she has never used cinema to provide reassurance. Instead, for four decades, Moore has portrayed characters who destabilize, suffer unresolved struggles, and reject easy sympathy. Knobloch said through these roles, Moore has claimed new ground on screen that did not exist before.

General delegate Thierry Frémaux also lauded Moore, calling her one of the great actresses of contemporary cinema. He remarked on her uncompromising and richly varied filmography, her remarkable intelligence and patience, and her rare emotional precision. According to Frémaux, Moore works with some of the most important filmmakers of our time, bringing profound sensitivity, extraordinary nuance, and fearless engagement with complex characters to every role.

The emerging talent award will be given to Margherita Spampinato, selected by last year’s recipient, Brazilian filmmaker Marianna Brennand. This award includes a grant of 50,000 euros to support the development of a second feature film project. Spampinato is recognized for her debut feature Gioia Mia, a film that premiered at the Locarno Film Festival, where it earned two prizes. The story follows a young boy’s discovery of love, memory, and mystery during an unexpected visit to a Sicilian seaside town.

Before her feature debut, Spampinato wrote and directed two short films, Tommasina and Segreti. Upon receiving the award, she expressed her gratitude and happiness, calling it a great honor to be recognized by Brennand, whose work she deeply admires. She noted that the award supports the creativity and freedom of new female voices in cinema and the arts worldwide.

The Kering Women in Motion Awards gala continues to spotlight female talent and promote gender equality in the film industry, making it a significant event during the Cannes Film Festival each year.