Renée Zellweger and Christy Turlington Burns will be honored at the Greenwich International Film Festival’s third annual Changemaker Gala. The event, scheduled to be held June 1, celebrates “artists who have used their public platform and the power of film to further positive social change,” according to a press release announcing the news. Both women will receive the Changemaker Award.
Academy Award winner Zellweger is being recognized “for her leadership and support in the search for effective treatments and a cure for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), in honor of her dear friend Nanci Ryder, veteran publicist and co-founder of BWR Public Relations who was diagnosed in 2014, as well as her work with the SIMS Foundation, a charitable foundation dedicated to support those in the Austin music industry, suffering from depression and mental health illnesses,” the press release details.
Zellweger was last seen in Sharon Maguire’s “Bridget Jones’s Baby” and Courtney Hunt’s “The Whole Truth.” She won an Oscar in 2004 for “Cold Mountain” and received nods for “Chicago” and “Bridget Jones’s Diary.”
Humanitarian and model Turlington Burns is being honored for her work with Every Mother Counts, an organization that she founded. Every Mother Counts is dedicated to making childbirth safe for every mother around the world, and raising awareness about issues affecting maternal health worldwide. The organization highlights and addresses barriers to maternal health such as education and access to supplies.
A portion of the proceeds from the Changemaker Gala will go to towards Zellweger and Turlington Burns’ causes. Previous recipients of the Changemaker Award include Mia Farrow, Freida Pinto (“Rise of the Planet of the Apes”), and Abigail Breslin (“Scream Queens”).
“We are thrilled to be able to present these fabulous women with the 2017 Changemaker Awards. They have been true advocates for those in need throughout their lives, using their voices to create positive change in the world,” said Wendy Stapleton Reyes, Chairman of the Board.
The Greenwich International Film Festival runs from June 1–4.
