Viola Davis will receive the Kering Women in Motion Award at this year’s Cannes Film Festival. Since it was founded in 2015, the award has honored an actress every year for their achievements on-screen and for raising the profile of women in the film industry. Previous winners include Jane Fonda, Geena Davis, Susan Sarandon, Isabelle Huppert, Patty Jenkins, Gong Li, and Salma Hayek, making Davis the first-ever Black recipient of the award.
“Viola Davis, known throughout the world for her acting roles and her commitment to the rights of women and minorities, is one of the most influential American actresses and producers of her time,” a statement announcing the award read. Her work has led her to score a host of prestigious acting prizes, it went on to note, including the Triple Crown of Acting via her two Tony Awards, along with her Oscar and Emmy.
