Activist and Academy Award winner Susan Sarandon will be honored with the Maverick Award this year at the Woodstock Film Festival, the Daily Freeman reports.
According to the festival’s press release, the Maverick Award is annually presented to those “who demonstrate a fiercely independent and unparalled artistic vision.”
Meira Blaustein, Woodstock’s co-founder and executive director, has expressed that Sarandon’s appeal lies not only in her extensive acting accomplishments — a career that spans over 60 years — but also in her advocacy for “many socially relevant, impactful films and gender equality in the entertainment industry.”
Sarandon has served as an executive producer on multiple projects. Her recent credits include Alexandra Dean’s “Bombshell: The Hedy Lamarr Story,” a documentary that explores Lamarr’s accomplishments as both an actress and technological inventor. “Bombshell” screened at this year’s Tribeca Film Festival and was acquired by Zietgeist Films and Kino Lorber. The film will screen at Woodstock in celebration of Sarandon’s career.
Alongside “Thelma and Louise” co-star Geena Davis, Sarandon received Kering’s “Women in Motion” award at last year’s Cannes Film Festival. She was nominated for a 2017 Emmy for portraying one of Hollywood’s original female game-changers, Bette Davis, in FX’s “Feud: Bette and Joan.”
The 18th annual Woodstock Film Festival will be held October 11–15 in London. For tickets and information, visit the festival website.
