Cannes: Kim Novak To Be Guest of Honor at 66th Annual Festival

PARIS – Legendary actress Kim Novak will be recognized as the guest of honor by the Cannes Film Festival this year, the organization announced Monday.  The retired actress will attend the festival in honor of the restoration of her famous 1958 film, Vertigo.

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A restored version of Alfred Hitchcock's famous psychological thriller will be shown as part of the Cannes Classics series.  In their announcement, the festival organizers called Vertigo Novak's "greatest performance." 

Novak made news last year when she compared hearing the score of Michel Hazanavicius' Oscar-winning film The Artist, in which composer Ludovic Bource borrowed extensively from Vertigo, as “rape.” Following intense criticism from victims’ groups, she later clarified her remarks, saying that hearing the similar score reminded her of feelings she had had as a victim of assault as a child.

The 80-year-old will also attend the closing ceremony and award an as-yet unnamed prize on May 26.