Emma Stone Thursday will receive the Desert Palm Achievement Award for her role in “Poor Things,” and the film’s director Yorgos Lanthimos will receive the Creative Impact in Directing Award Friday at Variety’s annual 10 Directors to Watch and Creative Impact Awards brunch.
Stone will be presented with her award Thursday night at the Palm Springs Convention Center, 277 N. Avenida Caballeros and she will present Lanthimos with his award Friday at Parker Palm Springs.
“Emma Stone continues to exert influence as one of the most important actresses of this generation, whose performances are always exceptional no matter the role,” festival Chairman Nachhattar Singh Chandi said in a statement. “In her latest film `Poor Things,’ Emma delivers a burning intensity and character bound for liberation.”
“Poor Things” features a tale of a young woman brought back to life by a scientist, and under his protection, she is eager to learn and runs off on an adventure across continents. Stone stars in the film which also features Mark Ruffalo, Ramy Youssef, Suzy Bema, Kathryn Hunter and Hanna Schygulla, among others.
“Yorgos Lanthimos established himself as one of world cinema’s top filmmakers nearly 15 years ago when his film `Dogtooth’ startled and excited the crowds in Cannes at its premiere,” Variety’s Executive Vice President of Content Steven Gaydos said in a statement.
The film received seven Golden Globe nominations, 13 Critics Choice Awards nominations, and was named to both the AFI and National Board of Review lists of the year’s top 10 films, according to festival officials.
The Desert Palm Achievement Award has previously been awarded to Cate Blanchett, Jessica Chastain, Viola Davis, Renee Zellweger, Olivia Colman, Marion Cotillard and Sandra Bullock among others. The Creative Impact in Directing honor has previously been presented to Baz Luhrmann, Ryan Coogler, Charlie Kaufman, and Patty Jenkins.
The Palm Springs International Film Festival will be held from Thursday to Jan. 15.