LEADING British actress Naomi Watts will follow in the footsteps of Hollywood heavyweights including Javier Bardem and Jennifer Lawrence later this month when she receives the Donostia Lifetime Achievement Award at the San Sebastian Film Festival.
The 57-year-old, known for her work in independent films, will receive the prestigious award on September 19 during a screening of the psychological thriller The Housewife – the directorial debut from Canadian filmmaker Ben Shirnian.
Set in 1964, the film tells the true story of a young journalist who tracks down a potential Nazi officer living secretly in New York and befriends the suspect’s wife.
“Naomi Watts is one of the most respected and accomplished actresses of her generation,” a statement from the San Sebastian Film Festival read.
“Renowned for her fearless performances and remarkable emotional range, she has built an extraordinary career spanning film, television and production, earning two Academy Award nominations, an Emmy nomination and numerous honours from the industry’s most prestigious organisations.
“Beyond acting, Watts is an accomplished producer, entrepreneur and advocate whose work has helped redefine conversations around women’s health.”
Watts, from Shoreham in Kent, is best known for starring in films including Mulholland Drive, The Ring, 21 Grams, The Impossible and Birdman.
She has collaborated with several celebrated directors, including David Lynch, Peter Jackson, Clint Eastwood, J.A. Bayona, Alejandro Gonzalez Iñarritu, David Cronenberg, Noah Baumbach, Michael Haneker, Audrey Diwan and Rodrigo Garcia.
She has received various accolades including an Actor Award, a Critics’ Choice Award and two Saturn Awards, as well as nominations for two Academy Awards, a Primetime Emmy Award and two Golden Globe Awards.
The Donostia Award was inaugurated in 1986 and is given to a number of actors and filmmakers every year at the San Sebastian International Film Festival.
It is named after Donostia, the Basque name for San Sebastian, the coastal city where the ceremony is held.
Previous recipients of the accolade include Gregory Peck, Al Pacino, Anthony Hopkins, Michael Caine, Robert de Niro, Francis Ford Coppola, Antonio Banderas, Benicio del Toro and Johnny Depp.
This year’s recipients so far include Watts and Werner Herzog, the Academy Award-nominated filmmaker renowned as a pioneer of New German Cinema.
This year’s festival will run from September 18-26.
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