Singer and actress Liza Minnelli attends a ceremony to receive the Officer de la Legion d'Honneur medal, the Legion of Honour, France's highest award, at the Culture Ministry in Paris July 11, 2011.[Photo/Agencies]

PARIS - France has paid tribute to storied songstress Liza Minnelli, making the "Cabaret" star an officer in the country's Legion of Honor.

French Culture Minister Frederic Mitterrand pinned the red-ribboned medal on Minnelli's lapel in an emotional ceremony in a gilded hall Monday.

Minnelli called the distinction "a dream come true" and said she was "honored to be a part of France, a part of Paris."

A visibly moved Minnelli told spectators at the ceremony: "Thank you for watching me, thank you for caring about me."

The daughter of Hollywood star Judy Garland and director Vincente Minnelli, the entertainer won an Oscar for her role in the hit 1972 film "Cabaret." She's also the recipient of an Emmy and several Golden Globe and Tony Awards.