Cate Blanchett receives the Donostia Award for lifetime achievement at the San Sebastian Film Festival
| Photo Credit: Vincent West
Cate Blanchett was honored with the prestigious Donostia Award for career achievement at the San Sebastian Film Festival, marking a highlight of this year’s event. The two-time Oscar winner received the accolade during a special ceremony, where she was accompanied by Disclaimer director Alfonso Cuarón, who praised her work and handed her the award.
Cuarón, speaking in Spanish, called Blanchett’s work on Disclaimer one of the great privileges of his career, describing her as “one of the world’s greatest cinema artists.” Before Blanchett could begin her acceptance speech, the audience was treated to a surprise video message from George Clooney, who called in from Venice. Clooney humorously toasted her, saying, “If I wasn’t in Venice and I wasn’t drinking and I was wearing pants, I’d be there to raise a glass.”
In her acceptance speech, Blanchett reflected on her diverse career and the uncertainty that fuels her creativity. She spoke about the importance of doubt in a world filled with “chest-thumping certainty” and expressed her gratitude for the “small islands of certainty,” symbolized by her Donostia Award.
The evening concluded with a screening of Blanchett’s film Rumours, which premiered at Cannes earlier this year. Blanchett is also making waves with Disclaimer, a seven-part series directed by Cuarón that debuted at the Venice Film Festival. The show, based on Renée Knight’s novel, launches on Apple TV+ on October 11.
Blanchett joins the ranks of past Donostia Award recipients, including Meryl Streep, Robert DeNiro, and Juliette Binoche.
Published – September 22, 2024 12:40 pm IST
