Throughout a career spanning four decades, Julianne Moore has accumulated the industry’s most coveted honors. From the golden statuette of an Academy Award to the prestigious acting prizes of Berlin, Venice, and Cannes, Moore’s mantle is already crowded. Yet, as she took to the podium at the Place de la Castre in Cannes this past Sunday, the air in the room felt different. Moore was there to accept the Kering Women in Motion Award, a distinction that transcends traditional acting accolades to recognize a cinematic force dedicated to shifting the cultural landscape for women.
Established in 2015 by the luxury group Kering in partnership with the Cannes Film Festival, the Women in Motion award is a platform designed to illuminate the role of women in the arts and society. For Moore, who has long been a vocal advocate for gender parity in storytelling, the recognition was not merely a career milestone—it was a call to arms.
Challenging the "Cultural Assumption" of the Female Story
Addressing an audience that included heavyweights such as Demi Moore, Ruth Negga, Vicky Krieps, and previous honorees Salma Hayek Pinault and Isabelle Huppert, Moore wasted no time in addressing the elephant in the room.
"I fucking love actresses," Moore declared, her voice resonating through the historic venue. It was a candid, impassioned opening for a speech that dissected the systemic biases that still plague the film industry.
Moore’s primary critique centered on the prevailing assumption in Hollywood—and particularly in American cinema—that stories driven by a female point of view are inherently "smaller" or less significant. She argued that the industry operates on a faulty logic: that for a female protagonist to be worthy of a viewer’s attention, she must either be hyper-competent, superhuman, or adopt traditionally masculine traits.
"There is a cultural assumption that women’s stories are less interesting, 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," Moore explained. "And I think that’s untrue."
This pervasive narrative, she posited, does a disservice to audiences who are eager for complex, authentic female experiences. By centering the male gaze as the default, the industry risks alienating the very audience it claims to serve.
A Life Centered on the Female Experience
Moore’s advocacy is not performative; it is a philosophy she has integrated into her personal and professional life. She spoke of the importance of the female lens, not as a way to exclude, but as a way to prioritize a perspective that has been historically marginalized.
"I see the women in my elevator, on the subway, and in the airport. If I need information, I approach a woman," she shared. "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."
This commitment extends to her business affairs. Moore noted that her yoga circles, her literature choices, and her professional representation—agents and managers—are all-female. While she was careful to note that this is not about maintaining a binary, she emphasized that celebrating the female point of view is "paramount in storytelling."
"I feel it as an actor when the story and direction are specific, and the audience feels it too," Moore noted. "What is the point of view, and how is it specific?"
The Statistics of Invisibility
Moore’s speech was underpinned by cold, hard data, highlighting the disparity between the industry’s rhetoric and its reality. The statistics are indeed sobering: in 2025, only 37.1% of roles in top-grossing films were played by women. Behind the camera, the numbers were even more stark, with only nine women helming the most commercially successful films of the year out of 111 total directors.
This, Moore argued, fosters a "troubling narrative of invisibility." She pushed the audience to interrogate why this invisibility exists and whether society has been conditioned to value only a specific type of gaze.
"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? I am more curious about what I observe, what I learn, and what I experience through my own lens. And that’s the most important thing of all: what we as women see."
She concluded her remarks with a clear, urgent directive: "We need more female voices in our industry, more writers, more directors, more actresses to carry that vision forward."
A Legacy of Excellence: A Retrospective
The event was marked by a celebration of Moore’s own contribution to the craft. Cannes president Iris Knobloch introduced the evening by emphasizing the importance of "turning visibility into real opportunity," while festival chief Thierry Frémaux lauded Moore’s commitment to both cinema and political engagement.
The tribute reached an emotional peak with a retrospective reel of Moore’s most iconic performances. The montage served as a reminder of her unparalleled range, showcasing roles in Magnolia, Boogie Nights, Nine Months, Hannibal, Far From Heaven, A Single Man, Crazy Stupid Love, The Kids Are All Right, May December, and her Oscar-winning turn in Still Alice.
Watching the clips, Moore laughed, remarking, "That’s like watching your life flash before your eyes." The sentiment was echoed by her peers on the black carpet. Halsey, clearly moved, admitted, "I’m such a fan, I got so shy when I walked in and saw her." Charlotte Le Bon lauded her versatility, citing Magnolia and Safe as defining works, while Harry Melling highlighted her transformative power even in small roles, pointing to her cameo in The Big Lebowski as "absolutely extraordinary."
Emerging Talent and the Future of Cinema
The evening was not only about honoring an established legend but also about investing in the next generation. Italian filmmaker Margherita Spampinato, who directed Gioia Mia, was presented with the Women in Motion Emerging Talent Award.
The prize, which includes a €50,000 grant, is designed to support female directors in the critical transition to their second feature film. Last year’s winner, Brazilian filmmaker Marianna Brennand, had the honor of presenting the award.
"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."
Spampinato noted that her work is deeply personal, inspired by the women in her life—her grandmother, cousins, and friends. "I’m sure that they will be happy and proud to know that we are receiving this award, and that the world, at last, is beginning to change," she said.
Implications: Building a New Infrastructure
The gala, attended by a global array of talent—including Sebastian Stan, Colman Domingo, Daisy Edgar-Jones, and director Park Chan-Wook—served as a microcosmic view of the industry’s current state. It was a space where the conversation moved beyond the red carpet and into the structural requirements for a more equitable future.
The implications of Moore’s speech and the work of the Women in Motion initiative are clear: symbolic recognition is a necessary start, but it must be paired with financial, institutional, and cultural shifts. By providing grants to emerging directors like Spampinato and platforming the voices of established icons like Moore, the initiative aims to dismantle the "invisibility" that Moore so eloquently described.
As the industry moves toward 2026 and beyond, the challenge remains to turn these moments of celebration into sustained, systemic change. If the energy at the Place de la Castre is any indication, the movement is gaining momentum. The call for more female writers, directors, and protagonists is no longer a whisper in the wings; it is the headline act.
Julianne Moore now joins a formidable sorority of change-makers, including Jane Fonda, Geena Davis, Susan Sarandon, Patty Jenkins, Viola Davis, and Nicole Kidman. Together, they represent a collective effort to ensure that the stories being told on screen—and the people telling them—truly reflect the diversity and depth of the world we live in. For Moore, the mission is simple: keep looking, keep observing, and above all, keep telling the stories that matter through the female lens.
Suro Senen
Lina Irawan
