Washington, Feb 26 (ANI): Clint Eastwood has received an honorary Palme d’Or from the organisers of Cannes film festival at a private ceremony in Paris.

A festival statement said that the privilege honoured was “the talent of a grand master at the summit of his craft.”

“When I made my first film 39 years ago, no one in the U.S. — except for Roger Ebert who was always very enthusiastic — believed in me as a filmmaker. But French cineastes have always been very supportive,” Variety quoted Eastwood, as telling guests at a Paris restaurant.

“France remains one of the rare countries that approaches cinema as an art form,” he added.

Festival toppers Gilles Jacob and Thierry Fremaux presented the 78-year-old with the honour.

Fremaux said of the honour, “In the U.S., they call this a lifetime achievement award, but in French the word achievement means ‘done’ and Clint Eastwood is far from being done. We’ll call it an ‘opening award.’”

Fremaux said the festival gave the Palme d’Or to Eastwood on Wednesday because he won’t be able to attend Cannes this year. (ANI)