The ‘Star Wars’ creator’s fellow filmmaker and lifelong friend Francis Ford Coppola presented him with the honor
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George Lucas is again being celebrated for his impactful career.
Lucas, who lately turned 80, received an honorary Palme d’Or at the 2024 Cannes Film Festival’s closing ceremony on Saturday, May 25. Presenting it was none other than his old friend and fellow legendary filmmaker, Francis Ford Coppola.
While speaking with French journalist Didier Allouch about the award—the festival’s highest honor—the day before accepting it, Lucas remarked, “It’s always great to be recognized.”
“Sure, we have a dedicated fanbase, but when it comes to films like Star Wars, I don’t make the kind of movies that win awards,” he chuckled.
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During the May 24 panel, Lucas reminisced about meeting Coppola for the first time while working as his assistant on the set of the 1968 film Finian’s Rainbow.
“I was just a student observer, and to be honest, I was bored out of my mind,” he confessed. “I thought, ‘I don’t want to make Hollywood movies. I know how to do this.’”
He added, “We were the only ones under 60 on the crew and we both had beards and a passion for film. It was like we belonged to a different group entirely, and that was the beginning of our bond.”
When asked if he, Coppola, and famed director Paul Schrader knew they were changing the landscape of cinema by proving independent films could be profitable, the American Graffiti director responded, “To be honest, making money wasn’t our priority. We were driven by our love for movies.”
“That was the crucial difference,” Lucas explained. “Our passion for filmmaking fueled our journey.”
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Best known as the creator of the Star Wars and Indiana Jones franchises, Lucas directed or produced each of the first six Star Wars films before selling his company, Lucasfilm, and the Star Wars rights to Disney in 2012.
Reflecting on this special trip to Cannes, Lucas looked back on his earlier visits for his iconic series, saying, “I’m very happy to be here, even though it’s giving me a sense of nostalgia. I’ve often come to Cannes, especially for Indiana Jones and Star Wars. I have a lot of fans, but my films aren’t typically award receivers. That’s why this Palme d’Or is such a great honor.”
During a conversation on Friday, Lucas addressed criticisms about the lack of diversity in the Star Wars films. He humorously defended, “People would say, ‘It’s all white men.’ And I’d reply, ‘Well, most of the characters are aliens!’”
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When reacting to the news of his honorary award, which Meryl Streep had also received at Cannes’ opening ceremony on May 14, Lucas shared his sentiments last month: “The Festival de Cannes has always held a special place in my heart.”
Further adding, “I was surprised and thrilled when my first film, THX-1138, was selected to be shown at Cannes in 1971. Since then, I’ve returned in various roles as a writer, director, and producer. This special recognition means a great deal to me.”
