Eastwood Honored in Paris

French President Jacques Chirac has presented legendary actor and director, Clint Eastwood, with a French distinction of honor. Eastwood, 76, was bestowed with the Legion d'honneur in Paris, the highest civilian distinction one can receive. With his family at his side, the man responsible for films like Dirty Harry and Million Dollar Baby was recognized by Chirac as "a genius" and for his "exceptional place" that he held in cinematic history.

Eastwood's latest work, Letters From Iwo Jima, has four Oscar nominations and tells the story of the infamous 1945 battle from the perspective of Japanese soldiers. A previous Eastwood project, Flags of Our Fathers, tells the same story from the perspective of the Americans. Letters has received widespread critical acclaim across the world, and has already won several awards from other groups.