Kylie Jenner brings emotion to gala as DiCaprio champions 'cinema over content'
The Palm Springs International Film Awards ceremony delivered a star-studded evening of glamour and Hollywood A-list interactions, capped off by heartfelt performances from several notable celebrities.
Among the evening's most touching moments was Miley Cyrus taking to the stage to accept her Outstanding Artistic Achievement Award for the original song "Dream as One" from James Cameron's blockbuster film Avatar: Fire and Ash. With Jack Champion presenting, Cyrus spoke candidly about reinvention in the music industry and expressed her desire for Oscar recognition.
Her emotional moment was matched by Ethan Hawke's rousing Career Achievement Award speech, where he recalled his close friendship with late actor River Phoenix. The audience erupted into applause as Hawke acknowledged the enduring impact of Phoenix's legacy.
The evening also featured a heartfelt tribute to Guillermo del Toro, who accepted an award while revealing that his older brother had recently passed away. "I have learned that when you receive love, it's what keeps us alive," he said, visibly moved by the moment.
However, there was an unexpected twist with Leonardo DiCaprio unable to attend the ceremony due to air restrictions following a recent U.S. operation in Venezuela. His Desert Palm Achievement Award was originally scheduled as the night's closing honor but was instead presented mid-ceremony by his co-stars Teyana Taylor and Chase Infiniti, along with an impassioned pre-recorded message where DiCaprio championed "movies over content" – a call for cinema to bring people together in a communal experience.
"I have always believed that original films are harder to make and protect, but they still matter," he said.
The Palm Springs International Film Awards ceremony delivered a star-studded evening of glamour and Hollywood A-list interactions, capped off by heartfelt performances from several notable celebrities.
Among the evening's most touching moments was Miley Cyrus taking to the stage to accept her Outstanding Artistic Achievement Award for the original song "Dream as One" from James Cameron's blockbuster film Avatar: Fire and Ash. With Jack Champion presenting, Cyrus spoke candidly about reinvention in the music industry and expressed her desire for Oscar recognition.
Her emotional moment was matched by Ethan Hawke's rousing Career Achievement Award speech, where he recalled his close friendship with late actor River Phoenix. The audience erupted into applause as Hawke acknowledged the enduring impact of Phoenix's legacy.
The evening also featured a heartfelt tribute to Guillermo del Toro, who accepted an award while revealing that his older brother had recently passed away. "I have learned that when you receive love, it's what keeps us alive," he said, visibly moved by the moment.
However, there was an unexpected twist with Leonardo DiCaprio unable to attend the ceremony due to air restrictions following a recent U.S. operation in Venezuela. His Desert Palm Achievement Award was originally scheduled as the night's closing honor but was instead presented mid-ceremony by his co-stars Teyana Taylor and Chase Infiniti, along with an impassioned pre-recorded message where DiCaprio championed "movies over content" – a call for cinema to bring people together in a communal experience.
"I have always believed that original films are harder to make and protect, but they still matter," he said.
leonardo di caprio's speech about movies being way more important than content is like, totally true for me!!! 
i mean, have you seen the beauty of cinema?! it brings people together in a way that nothing else can 
and yeah, i was so emotional when miley cyrus accepted her award 
she's literally my spirit animal! 
ethan hawke's speech about river phoenix was so beautiful too 
it's amazing how some legends leave an impact that lasts forever 
And can we talk about how amazing his co-stars did him proud at the last min 
Teyana Taylor & Chase Infiniti slaying the Desert Palm Achievement Award presentation 
What's even more impressive is Leo's commitment to supporting independent films, he's literally a film god 
.
it was so beautiful seeing celebrities like Miley Cyrus, Ethan Hawke & Guillermo del Toro share their heartfelt moments with us 
i'm so glad he still managed to make an impact despite not being there in person 
not just some mindless content for our screens 
, but it's not exactly Oscar material... unless your material is singing about saving the world 
. Ethan Hawke's tribute to River Phoenix was so touching I think I'm gonna need a moment to process my feelings 
. And DiCaprio not showing up? Like, what's next? They're gonna make a hologram of him receive his award? 
. I mean, I love movies as much as the next person, but come on, "movies over content" 
. Is that really the message we need to be sending? Can't he just say something meaningful without using a bunch of buzzwords 
?
. Maybe we can all learn from her... or maybe she's just really good at pretending 
.
i loved how he championed the importance of original films being made with love and care 
kylie jenner's performance at the gala was also super emotional 
It's all about the experience, not just the screen time 
Anyway, kudos to DiCaprio for speaking up and supporting the film industry 
anyway, his speech about cinema over content hit home for me... i mean, have you seen some of these new 'shows' on netflix that are just like regular tv? 
let's keep supporting the arts & original movies! 
cinemas can bring people together in ways social media can't 
where everyone's glued to their screens 24/7 it's refreshing to see someone like leo who still believes in the power of cinema 
he won tonight 
. And didn't he have an award at a film awards show, which is pretty much the epitome of cinematic experiences? 
what's up with giving awards to actors who aren't even being recognized for their acting skills? seems like a lot of fluff 
anyway, gotta give it to Leo though 
.
]