Berlin, 17 May 2026 – The CEO and spokesperson for the Executive Board of the Production Alliance Production alliance, Michelle Müntefering, has been presented with the World Woman Award at the Cannes Film Festival. The award, presented by the World Woman Foundation This award recognises individuals who have made an exceptional contribution to leadership, innovation and social engagement in the pursuit of gender equality.

The jury particularly highlighted Müntefering’s commitment to global equality, the empowerment of women and girls, and her dedication to dialogue, education and cultural understanding. In their statement, the jury emphasised that, through her public and international work, she has consistently championed equal opportunities for participation and the empowerment of women’s voices worldwide.

The awards ceremony took place in Cannes on 15 May 2026. The award was presented by Rupa Dash.

In her acceptance speech, Müntefering drew attention to the global inequalities that still persist: in many places, she said, women and girls are still oppressed and subjected to violence; at the same time, she emphasised the strength and resilience of women worldwide. Her appeal was for a joint effort to combat social regression and promote greater equality.

The World Woman Award is recognised as an international honour for female leaders who have made a social impact. Previous recipients include, amongst others, the former Prime Minister of New Zealand Helen Clark and the Director-General of the World Trade Organisation Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala.