The awards machine is in full effect and that means a slew of new lifetime achievement awards are on the horizon. The latest honoree? None other than Dame Judi Dench who will be awarded the Santa Barbara International Film Festival’s Kirk Douglas Award in Excellence on Nov. 30th.
The 100-year-old Douglas, who attended the annual ceremony up until just a few years ago, said in a statement, “I am especially delighted to learn that Dame Judi Dench will accept the award that bears my name. She is a consummate artist of stage and screen who is a particular favorite of mine. “I wish I could have had the joy of working with her, but I am happy for the pleasure of seeing my name coupled with hers in support of the Santa Barbara Film Festival.”
The gala for the Kirk Douglas Award is a fundraiser for SBIFF which will be held for the 33rd time on Jan. 31-Feb. 10, 2018. Handed out since 2006, previous winners include Warren Beatty, Jane Fonda, Jessica Lange, Forest Whitaker, Robert DeNiro, Michael Douglas, Harrison Ford, Quentin Tarantino, Ed Harris and John Travolta.
An Academy Award winner for her work in “Shakespeare in Love,” Dench is vying for a potential eighth nomination with “Victoria and Abdul” which opens in theaters on Friday. The Stephen Frears film finds Dench reprising the role of Queen Victoria which she played in 1998’s “Mrs. Brown” and was her first Oscar nomination. Dench has also been nominated for “Chocolat,” “Iris,” “Mrs. Henderson Presents,” “Notes on a Scandal” and “Philomena.”
The 82-year-old Brit is also known for playing M for two different James Bonds and for her leading role in “The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel.” Beyond her Oscar she’s also been honored with a Tony Award, two Golden Globes, two SAG Awards and 10 BAFTA Awards.