• View
• Edit

Michael Fassbender. Getty Images

Actor Kate Winslet (left); Actors Kate Winslet and Michael Fassbender (right). Getty Images

Actor Kate Winslet (left); Actors Kate Winslet and Michael Fassbender (right). Getty Images

Annual Event Welcomed Host Mary Hart and Festival Honorees

Kicking off Awards Season, the 27th Annual Palm Springs International Film Festival (PSIFF) Awards Gala was held Saturday, January 2, 2016 at the Palm Springs Convention Center hosted by Mary Hart. Honorees were presented with an original Chihuly Glass Sculpture designed by Dale Chihuly or the John Kennedy "The Entertainer" statue. The presenting sponsor of the Awards Gala is BIGHORN and major sponsors are Entertainment Tonight and Mercedes-Benz.

The Palm Springs International Film Festival Awards Gala honors individuals in the entertainment industry with several prestigious awards for acting and directing. The following awards were presented at this year’s Awards Gala: 

• Alicia Vikander received the Rising Star Award for The Danish Girl presented by her co-star Amber Heard
• Tom McCarthy received the Sonny Bono Visionary Award for Spotlight presented by one of the film’s stars Michael Keaton
• Brie Larson received the Breakthrough Performance Award for Room presented by director Lenny Abrahamson and co-star Jacob Tremblay
• Rooney Mara received the Spotlight Award, Actress for Carol presented by upcoming Una co-star Ben Mendelsohn
• Michael Fassbender received the International Star Award, Actor for Steve Jobs presented by his co-star Kate Winslet
• Saoirse Ronan received the International Star Award, Actress for Brooklyn presented by Paul Dano
• Bryan Cranston received the Spotlight Award, Actor for Trumbo presented by his co-star Helen Mirren
• Johnny Depp received the Desert Palm Achievement Award, Actor for Black Mass presented by the film’s director Scott Cooper
• The Big Short (Christian Bale, Steve Carell, Jeremy Strong and Finn Wittrock in attendance)received the Ensemble Performance Award presented by the film’s director Adam McKay
• Cate Blanchett received the Desert Palm Achievement Award, Actress for Carol presented by her Hanna co-star and fellow honoree Saoirse Ronan
• Matt Damon received the Chairman’s Award for The Martian presented by the film’s director Ridley Scott

Additional guests who attended the event: Udo Kier, Zoe Kazan, Ed Lachman and Palm Springs Mayor Robert Moon, along with festival representatives Harold Matzner (Festival Chairman) and Helen du Toit.

Celebrity guests arrived in ‎Mercedes-Benz S550 sedans, 2015 GL450 SUVS and 2016 GLE350 SUVs to the Festival red carpet. Following the ceremony an after party was held at the Parker Palm Springs.

The Palm Springs International Film Festival takes place January 1-11, 2016. For additional information on the Festival, visit www.psfilmfest.org. 

  Cate Blanchett. Getty Images