Brendan Fraser, Colin Farrell and Cate Blanchett were among the winners of the 34th Annual Palm Springs International Film Festival.
Awards season frontrunners gathered for the first time on Thursday at the festival in Palm Springs, Calif.
Hollywood stars such as Michelle Yeoh, Austin Butler, Viola Davis, Bill Nighy and Daniel Deadweiler were honored on the opening night.
For the first time since 2020, the annual festival will take place in person from January 5th to 16th this year, kicking off the 2023 awards season.
That opening night saw a “conversation” segment about Fraser and his already critically acclaimed film The Whale, which has earned several nominations so far.
The actor later received the festival’s Spotlight award, presented by his Whale co-star Hong Chau.
Speaking to US outlet Variety on the event’s red carpet, Fraser said he was “thrilled” to be back at the in-person festival.
“I hope I get to see people I looked up to from afar…we are all back. It’s thrilling to be able to do this again,” he said.
“I look forward to spending time with all those honored tonight and thanking each other for their work.”
Fraser has also been nominated for a Golden Globe Award and a Critics’ Choice Award for his performance in a psychological drama.
He stars as Charlie, a morbidly obese English teacher who tries to reunite with his estranged teenage daughter, played by Stranger Things’ Sadie Sink.
Farrell received the Palm of the Desert Achievement Award for Actor, following her performance in Inisherin’s Banshees, while Blanchett received equal honor as an actress for her turn in Tarr.
In an interview with Variety, Pharrell praised co-star Brendan Gleeson and said his next project wouldn’t happen “anytime soon.”
“He’s fun to work with. He comes to it from all the right places, both as a man and as an artist,” he told the outlet.
“I love him with all my heart.”
The pair had previously worked together in Bruges under the supervision of Martin McDonagh.
Yeo and Nye received the International Star Award and Davis received the President’s Award.
Yeoh posed with her Everything Everywhere All At Once costar Stephanie Hsu on the event’s red carpet.
Butler and Deadweiler received breakthrough performances by their actors and actresses respectively, and filmmaker Sarah Polley won Best Director of the Year.
Butler was presented with an award by Elvis director Baz Luhrmann.
Steven Spielberg’s semi-biographical film Mr. and Mrs. Faberman won the Vanguard Award, and the Oscar-winning director was also present at the event.
Thursday’s red carpet also featured celebrities such as Paul Dano, Michelle Williams, and Sam Rockwell.
The opening night of the Palm Springs International Film Festival takes place less than a week before the Golden Globe Awards on January 10th and the Critics’ Choice Awards on January 15th.
