"Glenn Close has the gift of mesmerizing an audience whenever she performs," said film festival chairman Harold Matzner in a statement. "Since her film debut in 1982, Close’s ability to capture the essence of a character is unparalleled, be it a femme fatale, a notorious stalker or the trusted aide to a president. In 'Albert Nobbs,' her upcoming film, Close portrays a woman whose plan for survival in 19th century Ireland is to 'pass' as a man, only to find herself trapped by the reality she’s created. Here she revives a previous stage role and brings it to gritty life in yet another bravura performance. To this star, a superstar in every sense of the word, the Palm Springs International Film Festival is proud to present the 2011 Career Achievement Award to her."
This is the first honoree award announced for the Awards Gala, which will be presented by Cartier. Past recipients of the Career Achievement Award include Cate Blanchett, Robert Duvall, Clint Eastwood, Morgan Freeman, Samuel L. Jackson and Helen Mirren.
Directed by Rodrigo García, Close's upcoming film, "Albert Nobbs," also features Mia Wasikowska, Aaron Johnson, Janet McTeer, Pauline Collins, Brenda Fricker, Jonathan Rhys Meyers and Brendan Gleeson.
Close, who also produced the film, won an Obie Award in 1982 for playing the character of Albert Nobbs in The Singular Life of Albert Nobbs Off-Broadway. The play was adapted from the short story of the same name by Simone Benmussa.
The actress is a three-time Tony Award winner for her performances in The Real Thing, Death and the Maiden and Sunset Boulevard. Among her other Broadway credits are Love for Love, The Rules of the Game, Barnum and The Play What I Wrote. Close is also a five-time Oscar nominee for her performances in "The World According to Garp," "Fatal Attraction," "Dangerous Liaisons," "The Natural" and "The Big Chill." The Palm Springs International Film Festival is one of the largest film festivals in North America, welcoming 130,000 attendees each year for its lineup of new and celebrated international features and documentaries. The festival, running Jan. 5-16, 2012, is presented by Title Sponsor, the City of Palm Springs.
The Palm Springs Convention Center is located at 277 North Avenida Caballeros in Palm Springs, CA. For more information, call (760) 322-2930 or (800) 898-7256 or visit www.psfilmfest.org.
