Sir Michael Caine receives honorary award at Red Sea Film Festival, accepts award in a wheelchair: "I kept going until I was 90"

Beaming with pride, the legendary actor accepted the award while seated in a wheelchair, a shift from the usual cane he relies on for support.

The 92-year-old British actor Sir Michael Caine was honored with a standing ovation at the Red Sea Film Festival on Thursday, December 4, in Jeddah, as he received the festival’s honoree award, celebrating his extraordinary seven-decade-long impact on cinema.

Beaming with pride, the legendary actor accepted the award while seated in a wheelchair, a shift from the usual cane he relies on for support.

He was joined by his three grandchildren, Taylor, Miles, and Allegra, as he delivered an emotional speech expressing gratitude to his family and friends.

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"I'm here to get an award, which doesn't surprise me. I won two Oscars," Caine joked, with his grandchildren standing behind him on stage.

He further reflected, "I have a fabulous family that I adore beyond belief. I've had a fairly fabulous movie family, some who've let me down, and I love them beyond belief, including the failures. I kept going until I was 90, which is two years ago. I'm not going to do anything else, I've had all the luck I can get. And one of the luckiest things is tonight."

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According to Variety, Michael’s close friend, Vin Diesel, presented the Dark Knight actor with his award, calling him "one of the best actors who's ever lived." Diesel had won the Special Recognition Award at the festival the previous year.

Also accompanying Michael on the red carpet was his wife of 52 years, Shakira Caine, along with his daughters, Dominique and Natasha. Michael shares Natasha, 52, with Shakira, and welcomed Dominique, 69, with his first wife, Patricia Haines.

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Michael officially retired from acting in 2023, with The Great Escaper marking his final film.

Guests graced the Culture Square, the festival’s open-air hub, ahead of the opening-night screening. Among the attendees were several of the festival’s upcoming In Conversation With participants and honorees, including two-time Oscar winner Adrien Brody, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, Kirsten Dunst, Vin Diesel, Jessica Alba, Queen Latifah, Dakota Johnson, Ana de Armas, Riz Ahmed, Naomie Harris, Giancarlo Esposito, Uma Thurman, Rita Ora, Olga Kurylenko, Daniel Kaluuya, Nina Dobrev, and Kriti Sanon. Industry legends such as Juliette Binoche, Sir Michael Caine, Stanley Tong, and Rachid Bouchareb were also present, receiving the festival’s prestigious Red Sea Honoree Awards.