Throughout a career spanning four decades, Julianne Moore has accumulated the industry’s highest honors. From the golden statuette of an Academy Award to the prestigious acting prizes of Berlin, Venice, and Cannes, Moore’s mantle is crowded with the tokens of critical acclaim. Yet, as she stood at the podium at the Place de la Castre this past Sunday, the prize she held—the Kering Women in Motion Award—carried a distinct weight. Launched in 2015 by Kering in partnership with the Cannes Film Festival, the award transcends mere recognition of talent; it serves as a global manifesto for the advancement of women’s roles in cinema and society. For Moore, the honor was not just a career milestone; it was a platform to challenge the systemic erasure of the female perspective.
The Challenge to Cultural Assumptions
Addressing a star-studded audience that included Demi Moore, Ruth Negga, Vicky Krieps, and past recipients like Salma Hayek Pinault and Isabelle Huppert, Moore wasted little time in delivering an impassioned critique of Hollywood’s status quo.
"I fucking love actresses," Moore declared, her voice resonant with both affection and frustration. She moved quickly into a sharp dissection of the industry’s prevailing, and often reductive, logic. "There is a cultural assumption, particularly in the United States, that women’s stories are less interesting or smaller, or that if we’re at the center of a narrative, we need to be strong or accomplishing something great, or doing something that is particularly male, if we want someone to watch us—if we want men to watch us. And I think that’s untrue."
For Moore, this assumption is not merely a creative limitation; it is an economic and cultural oversight that ignores the vast, nuanced desires of the female audience. She argued that the industry’s insistence on "male-coded" strength as the only valid form of cinematic heroism is a failure of imagination that restricts the scope of human experience on screen.
Personal Lens: Centering Women in Everyday Life
Moore’s advocacy extends well beyond the soundstage. She described her personal philosophy as one of active, intentional engagement with the women around her. "I see the women in my elevator, on the subway, and in the airport. If I need information, I approach a woman," she explained.
This practice, she noted, was a core value she instilled in her children. "When my kids were little, I told them, if you’re ever lost or in trouble, to look for a lady, she will help you." Her professional life mirrors this commitment: her agents, managers, and representatives are all women. While she was careful to clarify that this is not an attempt to create a "binary" or to diminish the value of her relationships with men, she emphasized that the female point of view is a "paramount" element of storytelling that must be nurtured and prioritized.
"What is the point of view, and how is it specific?" Moore asked. "I feel it as an actor when the story and direction are specific, and the audience feels it too."
Statistical Realities: The Crisis of Invisibility
The urgency of Moore’s speech was underscored by the stark, troubling data regarding gender representation in the film industry. According to industry reports from 2025, the landscape remains stubbornly imbalanced. Only 37.1% of roles in top-grossing films were played by women, and in a damning reflection of the lack of female leadership, only nine out of 111 directors of those same high-earning films were women.
Moore addressed this "narrative of invisibility" head-on. "I’m always curious about that narrative," she said. "I want to know where they feel invisible, why they feel invisible, and have we been cultured to only be seen by a particular audience, or to only value that gaze?"
Her solution was a direct call to action: "We need more female voices in our industry, more writers, more directors, more actresses to carry that vision forward." She challenged the audience to value their own observations, urging them to prioritize the stories that resonate through their own lenses rather than constantly seeking validation through a traditional, male-dominated gaze.
A Legacy of Excellence: The Chronology of an Icon
The gala served as a retrospective of Moore’s remarkable range. Cannes President Iris Knobloch and festival chief Thierry Frémaux presided over the ceremony, with Frémaux highlighting Moore’s dual commitment to political activism and the craft of acting.
The evening’s retrospective reel captured the sheer versatility that has defined Moore’s career. From the heartbreaking vulnerability of Still Alice and Far From Heaven to the chaotic brilliance of Magnolia and Boogie Nights, the audience was treated to a montage of a performer who defies categorization.
"That’s like watching your life flash before your eyes," a giggling Moore admitted, clearly touched by the tribute. The sentiment was echoed by peers and admirers throughout the night. Halsey, speaking on the black carpet, confessed, "I’m such a fan, I got so shy when I walked in and saw her. She can play everything." Harry Melling added, "In The Big Lebowski—it’s just a cameo, but my word, she’s absolutely extraordinary."
Moore now joins a formidable sorority of Women in Motion honorees, a group that includes Jane Fonda, Geena Davis, Susan Sarandon, Patty Jenkins, Viola Davis, Michelle Yeoh, and her The Hours co-star, Nicole Kidman.
The Future: Empowering Emerging Talent
The evening was not solely dedicated to the legacy of established icons; it also provided a spotlight for the future of cinema. Italian filmmaker Margherita Spampinato was awarded the Women in Motion Emerging Talent Award for her debut feature, Gioia Mia.
The prize, which includes a €50,000 grant, is designed to provide critical financial support for a female director’s second feature film. As last year’s recipient, Marianna Brennand, passed the torch, Spampinato offered a poignant reflection on the state of the industry.
"This award moves me because it supports the creativity and freedom of new female voices in cinema and art around the world," Spampinato said. "The mixture of talent, together with financial support, represents an important milestone that women are beginning to achieve today, despite the inequality that still exists in the industry."
Inspired by the women who shaped her own upbringing—her grandmother and her close friends—Spampinato’s work represents the very thing Moore advocated for: a specific, authentic, and female-centered point of view.
Implications for the Global Film Industry
The presence of major industry figures at the gala—including A24’s latest acquisition success story Jordan Firstman, director Park Chan-Wook, and members of the festival’s competition jury like Chloé Zhao and Stellan Skarsgård—highlighted the broad reach of the Women in Motion initiative.
The implication of the evening is clear: the industry is at a crossroads. As Cannes continues to evolve, the emphasis on visibility is shifting toward the demand for "real opportunity," a phrase echoed by Iris Knobloch in her opening remarks. The message delivered by Moore and the Kering team is that visibility is no longer enough; structural changes in hiring, funding, and greenlighting are the necessary next steps.
By centering the female gaze, both through the lens of established masters like Moore and the emerging voices like Spampinato, the industry stands to gain a richer, more diverse, and more profitable cinematic landscape. As Moore concluded her remarks, her plea was simple but radical: for the industry to stop looking at women as a peripheral interest and start treating them as the central, essential architects of modern storytelling.
In a world where women are often told to be "strong" to be worthy of a spotlight, Julianne Moore’s message served as a timely reminder that women are already worthy, already present, and—with the right support—already capable of redefining the future of cinema.
Lina Irawan
Dwi Wanna