Kevin Spacey seems to be back: He's being honored for his lifetime achievement in Cannes. Or is it all just a publicity stunt?

He always seems a bit devilish, with his waxy face and mischievous grin. But right now he also looks quite casual. He gives the impression of being at ease. Kevin Spacey, 65, stands confidently, chest-boasting, in the beach club of the Hotel Carlton in Cannes.

Entry was by invitation only, but the crowds inside were still huge. The photographers went crazy. "Quel bordel," one complained. Another shouted, "Welcome back, Kevin!"

Spacey is back in Cannes. He was last on the Croisette in 2016. Things went downhill immediately afterward. He has been accused of sexual assault by more than 30 men. Among them was Hollywood star Guy Pearce, who complained of harassment during the filming of "LA Confidential" (1997).

His career seemed ruined. Ridley Scott removed Spacey from the recently completed film "All the Money in the World," Netflix fired him, and "House of Cards" fell apart. The #MeToo allegations had brought Spacey down.

But he was acquitted. First of a civil lawsuit in New York, then after a lengthy trial in London. Now he wants to redeem himself. The award in Cannes comes at a timely pace: Kevin Spacey is being honored for his lifetime achievement on the Croisette. Not by the festival itself, though. The matter hasn't been settled enough yet to warrant a palm tree.

The recognition comes from a charitable organization called Better World Fund, which, according to its website, advocates for women's rights, child protection, and education. It's not immediately clear how Kevin Spacey fits into the portfolio. But anyone hosting a fundraising gala in a prime location in Cannes needs big names; otherwise, no one will show up. Kevin Spacey, it seems, is another compelling argument.

In his speech, he pays tribute to the organizers, who had shown courage in inviting him: "Who would have ever thought," Spacey asks, "that it could be a brave idea to honor someone who has been exonerated in every courtroom he has ever entered? But here we are."

He then compared his fate, not entirely without vanity, to that of Kirk Douglas, "who also faced resistance after he championed screenwriter Dalton Trumbo." During the Cold War, Trumbo was blacklisted in Hollywood as a suspected communist. Trumbo was "cancelled," Spacey put it. He evidently sees himself as the victim of a similar witch hunt.

Is Kevin Spacey now socially acceptable again? This is supported by the fact that he's not just in Cannes for the gala, but because a thriller featuring him is being sold at the festival's film market. The British production is called "The Awakening," but it looks like a B-lister. Apart from Spacey, no one else of note is involved.

As producer Matt Hookings explained to Euronews, the star's presence at Cannes is a form of "guerrilla marketing" to draw attention to the film project. Hookings explained that the gala was a good fit for the production. Is it all just a publicity stunt?

Yes and no. Kevin Spacey is back on the scene, which sends a strong signal. And being honored at the Better World Fund Gala can be a good omen. Last year, Juliette Binoche was honored there. This year, she's back in Cannes as the festival's jury president.