Palm Springs Film Festival Opens with Awards Gala Event

The Palm Springs Film Festival kicked off last night with its Awards gala event. Tom Hanks, Annette Bening, Warren Beatty, Mahershala Ali, Ruth Negga, Ryan Gosling and Janelle Monae were among the stars attending the event.

Jackie’s Natalie Portman attended the event and was the recipient of the Desert Palm Achievement Award for her role playing the First Lady. Speaking about what it was like to portray the icon, Portman referred to her grandmother saying, she shared stories about dressing up in this one dress she owned with her roommate, ” I think it would tickle her to know that I got to play the best-dressed woman in the world.” Portman also joked about Tom Hanks presenting her with her award saying, ” I think I can retire now after getting Tom Hanks to say such nice things about me.”

Andrew Garfield who stars in both Hacksaw Ridge and Martin Scorsese’s Silence paid tribute to Tom Hanks who was receiving the ICON award. Garfield said, “There’s a man in the room who is directly responsible for making me want to be an actor.” He added, “He doesn’t know it, but Mr. Tom Hanks, I can’t express in words what your life’s work has meant to me, but more specifically what your work in Big and Joe Versus the Volcano meant to me.”

The entire cast of Hidden Figures including Janelle Monae, Octavia Spencer, and Mahershala Ali were on hand to receive the Ensemble Performance award.

Ryan Gosling who accepted the Vanguard Award for La La Land, took a moment to pay tribute to Debbie Reynolds saying, “I wish I could have said this in person but I’d like to thank Debbie Reynolds,” said Gosling. “Her work is an inspiration.” He added, “She was an inspiration to us every day. We watched Singing in the Rain every day for inspiration, a truly unparalleled talent so thank you to her for all that inspiration.” Damien Chazelle and La La Land’s composer Justin Hurwitz were also on hand to receive the award. Actress Emma Stone was home recovering from Strep Throat.

Amy Adams who is doing double duty in both Arrival and Nocturnal Animals received the Chairman’s Award. She praised Arrival’s director Denis Villeneuve and said he was, “a visionary, a compassionate and generous director.”

Nicole Kidman paid tribute to her late father as she accepted the award for International Star from her Lion co-star Dev Patel. She said, “I was newly single and he came with me as my date. He held my hand as we walked up the red carpet,” Kidman went on and praised her husband Keith Urban saying, “even though he’s not here now a lot of great things have happened in my life in the last 12 years. I met the love of my life and I got married to him and I grew my family with him.” She talked about her experience of playing Saroo Brierley’s adopted mother in the film. “The role of Sue Riley so aligned with me, and as an adoptive mother, I suddenly had found this woman who was able to express feelings I didn’t have the words for, and she was able to express it — as was the role. And that is a fantastic thing when that happens as an actor; when you find something that deeply aligns with the things that are inside you.”

Recap the full Palm Springs Film Festival gala below:

The Palm Springs Film Festival takes place from January 3 to January 16. For more information visit : https://www.psfilmfest.org/