The award presentation will take place June 4, 2014, at the fourth annual Celebrate Sundance Institute benefit.
Close, an Emmy, Golden Globe and Tony Award winner and six-time Academy Award acting nominee, has performed onstage in Sunset Boulevard and The Real Thing. Some of her film credits include "Fatal Attraction" and "Dangerous Liaisons," and her TV credits include "Damages" and "The Shield."
Close is an emeritus trustee of the Institute and has served as a creative advisor at its Labs for emerging independent filmmakers. She has appeared in several films at the Sundance Film Festival.
"Glenn recognized early the need to support independent artists, and she brought to our Board her vision and dedication for doing so. Her contributions to independent film are remarkable and varied, and she continues to build a body of work that inspires other artists," Robert Redford, president and founder of Sundance Institute, said in a statement.
"I am deeply honored to be receiving the Vanguard Leadership Award from Sundance Institute," Close said in a statement. "The Institute is like none other in the world and continues to have a profound impact on all aspects of independent storytelling. Filmmakers who create astounding and original movies against the odds continue to inspire me and give me the courage to believe in what I think is worth the fight." Previous recipients of the Vanguard Leadership Award include philanthropist and former Institute Trustee George Gund and journalist and film critic Roger Ebert.
In addition to the Vanguard Leadership Award, the Institute presents the Vanguard Award, including a cash grant and mentorship from industry professionals and Institute staff, to an emerging artist with creative independence. The 2014 recipient will be announced in the spring; past recipients include Benh Zeitlin ("Beasts of the Southern Wild") and Ryan Coogler ("Fruitvale Station").
The Vanguard Awards were founded in 2011 to mark the 30th anniversary of the Sundance Institute Feature Film Program and its founding director, Michelle Satter.
Visit sundance.org for more information.
