Julianne Moore will be honored with the 2026 Women In Motion Award
presented by Kering in partnership with the Festival de Cannes
Photo by German Larkin
Julianne Moore to receive the 2026 Women In Motion Award from Kering and the Festival de Cannes while Margherita Spampinato to receive the 2026 Emerging Talent Award. Both Awards will be presented during the official Women In Motion Awards ceremony on May 17th, as part of the 79th edition of the Festival de Cannes.
Kering, in partnership with the Festival de Cannes, will honor acclaimed actress Julianne Moore with the 2026 Women In Motion Award during the official ceremony held alongside the Festival. Established in 2015, the distinction recognizes female figures whose artistic achievements and personal commitment have contributed to advancing the role of women in cinema and in society at large.
Widely regarded as one of the most versatile and accomplished performers of her generation, Moore has built a career defined by bold choices and emotional depth. Beyond her work on screen, she has consistently supported greater inclusion, representation, and diversity within the film industry—principles that lie at the core of the Women In Motion initiative. Her engagement extends to social causes as well, notably through her role as founding chair of Everytown for Gun Safety’s Creative Council, where she advocates against gun violence in the United States.
Expressing her gratitude, Moore stated: “I’m genuinely grateful for this recognition from Kering and the Festival de Cannes. Being part of Women In Motion’s legacy is incredibly meaningful to me. I’ve always believed that visibility matters, that the stories we choose to tell can widen the space for women, and for a richer diversity of voices, both on screen 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.”
As part of the Women In Motion program, the 2026 Emerging Talent Award has been granted to filmmaker Margherita Spampinato, recognizing her debut feature Gioia Mia. Accompanied by a €50,000 grant to support her next project, the award celebrates a new generation of directors whose work brings fresh perspectives to cinema.
Spampinato’s film tells the story of a young boy navigating themes of love, memory, and mystery during an unexpected stay in a seaside town in Sicily. Combining poetic sensibility with emotional depth, the project reflects the vitality and originality of emerging voices in filmmaking. She was selected by Brazilian director Marianna Brennand, recipient of the 2025 award.
Reacting to the honor, Spampinato said:
“I am grateful and happy to receive the 2026 Women In Motion Emerging Talent Award, and it is a great honor to receive it from Marianna Brennand, a director I deeply admire. This award moves me because it supports the creativity and freedom of new female voices in cinema and the arts around the world.”
Through initiatives like these, Women In Motion continues to actively support female talent and encourage bold, innovative storytelling, helping to shape a more inclusive future for cinema.
S.V.
