Palm Springs, California (December 1, 2021) – The Palm Springs International Film Awards announced that Belfast is the recipient of the Vanguard Award. The Vanguard Award is a collective honor honoring the cast and director of a film in recognition of their collective work on an outstanding film project. The award will be presented to writer and director Kenneth Branagh and cast members Caitríona Balfe, Jamie Dornan, Ciarán Hinds and Jude Hill who are all expected to attend. The Film Awards will be held in person on January 6, 2022 at the Palm Springs Convention Center, and the festival will run until January 17, 2022. The event will be presented by American Express and sponsored by Entertainment Tonight.
“In Belfast Kenneth Branagh gives audiences a glimpse of his childhood in Northern Ireland during the period of conflict that began in the late 1960s. Despite the violence of the time, Branagh tells a heartwarming family story with a magnificent ensemble performance by Caitríona Balfe, Judi Dench, Jamie Dornan, Ciarán Hinds and Jude Hill, making it one of the must-see films of the year, ”said Festival President Harold Matzner. “It is an honor for us to present the Vanguard Award to Belfast. “
Past Vanguard Award recipients include Oscar winners for Best Picture Green book and The shape of water and the nominees for the best film La La Land, Little Miss Sun and The Chicago 7 trial. Belfast joins previously announced winners this year, Jane Campion (Director of the Year Award), Jessica Chastain (Desert Palm Award, actress), Penélope Cruz (International Star Award, actress) and Kristen Stewart (Spotlight Award, actress).
Belfast, written and directed by Kenneth Branagh, tells the poignant story of love, laughter and loss in a boy’s childhood, amid the music and social uproar of the late 1960s. Focus Features film stars Caitríona Balfe, Judi Dench, Jamie Dornan, Ciarán Hinds and introduces Jude Hill, 10 years old.
About the Palm Springs International Film Society
The Palm Springs International Film Society is a 501 (c) (3) nonprofit charitable organization whose mission is to cultivate and promote the art and science of filmmaking through education and cross-cultural awareness. The Film Society produces the Palm Springs International Film Festival (PSIFF) and Film Awards each January and the Palm Springs ShortFest in June. In addition to hosting the best in international cinema, the PSIFF Film Awards are known as the first stop in the Oscars® campaign and our Oscar-eligible ShortFest is the largest short film festival and market in North America. Our festivals, member screenings throughout the year and educational programs manifest our organization’s mission by nurturing and nurturing new film talent, honoring the great masters of world cinema, and broadening audiences’ horizons.
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