Miley Cyrus Jokes She Worked on ‘Avatar’ Songwriting for ‘Like a Month’

Miley Cyrus is officially an award-winning member of the Hollywood film community.

The singer-songwriter, 33, joined fellow A-listers at the 37th annual Palm Springs International Film Festival’s film awards gala in Palm Springs, Calif. on Saturday, Jan. 3. Cyrus was there to accept the Outstanding Artistic Achievement Award for her new song “Dream as One,” featured in filmmaker James Cameron’s hit Avatar: Fire and Ash.

“They worked on this movie for 16 years. I’ve been involved for like a month and I get to go to all the same events,” quipped the Grammy winner as the crowd laughed.

Cyrus accepted the honor from presenter and Avatar star Jack Champion. After walking onstage, she sang along as an orchestra played a snippet of “Dream as One,” calling them “amazing.”

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In the third film in Cameron’s hit Avatar franchise, Cyrus’ “Dream As One” plays over the credits. She co-wrote the tune with Mark Ronson, Andrew Wyatt and Simon Franglen.

“Reinvention is something that I continually strive for in my music,” said Cyrus in her speech. “Telling stories with honesty while still creating fantasy and then offering an entertaining escape. So creating alongside artists like Mark and Andrew and Simon and supporting stories like Avatar by my friend James Cameron — it’s always cool to say that — it’s truly the joy of a lifetime to be a part of this incredible experience and this journey.”

Everyone on the Fire and Ash team, she added, “has been so welcoming. And I just want to thank you all for recognizing their work that I’m totally backpacking off of.”

Calling the Palm Springs fest’s gala “such a beautiful and sophisticated event,” she added with a grin that it’s “truly the most elegant Palm Springs party that I have ever been to. There are fewer drag queens than I like, but I’ll be stopping by Toucans on the way back to L.A. to get my fix.”

While writing lyrics about uniting and overcoming, the “Flowers” singer previously told PEOPLE, she was inspired by her own experience rebuilding the Malibu home she lost to wildfires in 2018.

“A musician who needs no introduction, Miley Cyrus is a force in everything she does,” said Palm Springs International Film Festival Chairman Nachhattar Singh Chandi in a Dec. 19 statement. “Her song ‘Dream as One’ from Avatar: Fire and Ash is already a triumph, resonating with audiences around the globe.”

The other Palm Springs International Film Festival award honorees this year included Timothée Chalamet, Rose Byrne, Ethan Hawke, Leonardo DiCaprio, Amanda Seyfried, Kate Hudson, Michael B. Jordan, Adam Sandler and more.

Avatar: Fire and Ash is playing in theaters.