Academy Award-winning actress Geena Davis will be among the movie industry celebrities attending the Sun Valley Film Festival later his month.
Organizers announced Thursday that the event will honor Geena Davis, Brett Ratner and Allison Williams.
Davis will receive the Vision Award on Saturday, March 18th -- and is this year’s honoree and guest speaker at the Grande Dame Brunch. Davis’s film credits include “The Accidental Tourist,” “Thelma and Louise,” “Beetlejuice” and “A League of Their Own” as well as the upcoming “Marjorie Prime” with Tim Robbins and Jon Hamm. In addition to founding the Geena Davis Institute on Gender in Media, she started the Bentonville Film Festival in support of women and diversity in the entertainment industry.
Brett Ratner will receive Nat Geo WILD’s Pioneer Award on Friday, March 17th, and be part of the Festival’s Coffee Talk Series with producer and President of MGM’s Film division, Jonathan Glickman. Besides enjoying critical acclaim as a producer including “The Revenant” and “Before the Flood,” Ratner is known for directing the “Rush Hour” film trilogy, and the films “X-Men: The Last Stand,” “Family Man,” and “Red Dragon.”
Allison Williams will receive the Festival’s inaugural Rising Star Award on Thursday, March 16eh, as well as participate in a Coffee Talk discussion. Williams is making her feature film debut in number one box office hit “Get Out,” written and directed by Jordan Peele. She is currently starring in the final season of HBO's Emmy and Golden Globe-winning television series, “Girls.”
Brothers Peter and Bobby Farrelly will also join the Festival this year for the Coffee Talks Series, according to event organizers. Coffee Talks are an opportunity for award-winning filmmakers and industry insiders to share their “war stories” in an intimate and accessible environment. The writer/producer team is responsible for the hit film comedies such as “Dumb and Dumber,” “Me, Myself and Irene,” “Shallow Hal,” “There’s Something about Mary,” and “The Heartbreak Kid” will take the stage Sunday, March 19th for a discussion of comedy filmmaking.
The Sixth Annual Sun Valley Film Festival, presented by Zions Bank, will run March 15th through the 19th.
