Cannes, May 20 (IANS): Producer Jeffrey Katzenberg has been feted with an honourary Palme d'Or prize at the 70th Cannes Film Festival.

Actors Will Smith and Uma Thurman, who are members of the festival jury, attended Katzenberg's gala dinner where he received the honour on Friday night, reports hollywoodreporter.com.

Katzenberg said he was "speaking from the heart" when accepting the award and said he grew up believing in the impossible back in New York, a town "roughly between Cannes and Hollywood."

"Every single spring for almost 40 years, I couldn't wait to come back here. I think for anyone in the film industry coming here its similar to what it feels like for an athlete to go to the Olympics.

"It is incredible, it is the best. Wining is actually secondary, simply being able to participate is the greatest of honours. Cannes is the most important and prestigious film festival. Cannes is exceptional because its leaders are exceptional," he added.