Rising Canadian stars Sarah Gadon (pictured) and Emily Hampshire are to receive the inaugural Birks Canadian Diamond prizes in Cannes.

As the federal agency looks to mine the Croissette for more international co-productions with Canadian partners,  Telefilm Canada has seen its promotional partner Birks choose two homegrown actresses certain to be familiar faces to the paparazzi at the Cannes Film Festival as they promote their latest work.

Gadon and Hampshire both star in David Cronenberg‘s Cosmopolis and so will walk the red carpet in Cannes to promote that contender for the Palme d’Or in the official competiton.

And Gadon also stars in Brandon Cronenberg’s debut feature Antiviral, which is screening in the Un Certain Regard section, which spotlights emerging talent.

Elsewhere, Hampshire will don yet another couture gown to promote her cameo role in Xavier Dolan’s Laurence Anyways, the Quebec director’s third film, this time screening in the Un Certain Regard sidebar.

“The two award recipients are… instrumental in the promotion of their films and in ensuring that these productions reach moviegoers,” Carolle Brabant, Telefilm Canada’s executive director, said Thursday in a statement as Gadon and Hampshire were announced as the first two recipients of the Birks Canadian Diamond honours.

Both actresses will be feted as a May 23 red carpet reception hosted by Birks and Telefilm Canada.

The Cannes tribute, besides honoring rising Canadian talent, aims to help foster increasing international co-productions involving Canadians.