The 13th Annual Palm Beach International Film Festival (PBIFF) is pleased to present the Lifetime Achievement Award to veteran actor and Academy, Emmy and Golden Globe Award-winner Louis Gossett, Jr., in celebration of his multi-faceted career. Gossett will join some of the great talents in the industry, as well as community leaders on Saturday, April 12, at the Black Tie Awards Gala at the Boca Raton Resort and Club. Back by popular demand, Tristan Rogers (“General Hospital”) will serve as the Gala’s host.

The eight-day Festival runs April 10-17, 2008.

The PBIFF will also honor community leaders Ambassador Ned L. Siegel, new United States Ambassador to the Bahamas, with the Chairman’s Award. Longtime Board Member Robert Sanders will be given the Founders Award and Sunrise Cinema’s owners Mitch and Nancy Dreier will receive the Friends in Film award.

Those who will also be awarded this year for their contribution to filmmaking include actor Mickey Rooney, who will receive the Legend Award, and Academy Award-nominated director Jason Reitman (“Juno”) will receive the Visionary Award. The Showmanship Award will be presented to Cheryl Hines (“Waitress”), who has emerged as one of our foremost comedic actresses. Receiving the Horizon Award is Josh Hutcherson, who will be seen this summer opposite Brendan Fraser in Eric Brevig’s “Journey to the Center of the Earth 3D”).

“Louis Gossett, Jr. is the consummate actor,” said Randi Emerman, PBIFF Director. “We are fortunate and honored to be able to celebrate his body of work. His performances in films like “Toy Soldiers,” “Iron Eagle,” ”Lackawanna Blues” and “Officer and a Gentleman,” which won him the Oscar for Best Supporting Actor, are testament to Gossett’s talent and charisma.”