U.S. actor Robin Wright will be awarded the President’s Award at the 57th Karlovy Vary Film Festival’s closing ceremony. In honor of Wright, it will screen “The Princess Bride.”
Wright is best known for her performance in Netflix series “House of Cards.” She earned three Golden Globe nominations and a win in 2014. She earned five Screen Actors Guild award nominations for the show, and received five consecutive Emmy nominations.
In 2017, Wright played Lieutenant Joshi in “Blade Runner 2049,” and Amazon warrior General Antiope in “Justice League” and Patty Jenkins’ “Wonder Woman.” The following year, she reprised her role as Antiope in “Wonder Woman 1984.” She will be seen this Fall starring opposite Millie Bobby Brown in the fantasy film “Damsel,” and co-starring with Tom Hanks in “HERE,” directed by Robert Zemeckis.
Her first two nominations, a Golden Globe and a SAG, came as early as 1995 for her role as Jenny in Zemeckis’ “Forrest Gump.” Wright earned her second SAG nomination in Nick Cassavetes’ “She’s So Lovely,” and her third nomination for Fred Schepisi’s “Empire Falls.”
Her credits include “Everest,” “A Most Wanted Man,” “The Congress,” David Fincher’s “The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo,” Bennett Miller’s “Moneyball,” Rob Reiner’s “The Princess Bride,” Barry Levinson’s “What Just Happened,” Deborah Kampmeier’s “Hounddog,” Robert Redford’s “The Conspirator,” Rebecca Miller’s “The Private Lives of Pippa Lee,” Kevin Macdonald’s “State of Play,” Anthony Minghella’s “Breaking and Entering,” Zemeckis’ “Beowulf,” Keith Gordon’s “The Singing Detective,” Peter Kosminsky’s “White Oleander,” Anthony Drazan’s “Hurlyburly,” Sean Penn’s “The Pledge,” Luis Mandoki’s “Message in a Bottle,” M. Night Shyamalan’s “Unbreakable,” Pen Densham’s “Moll Flanders,” and Barry Levinson’s “Toys.”
Wright recently directed her first feature film, “Land,” which premiered at the Sundance Film Festival. Shortly after its release, she directed several episodes of the drama series “Ozark” and “Tell Me Lies.”
In other news, it was announced that Bobby Farrelly’s “Champions,” starring Woody Harrelson, will close the festival. Harrelson plays Marcus in this remake of the 2018 Spanish comedy of the same name. Marcus is a noted basketball coach, whose career prospects are hampered by his own irascibility, stubbornness and lack of empathy. When Marcus’ foot fault becomes a series of missteps, punishment follows in the form of community service, which requires him to train a team of disabled basketball players.
Also, Karlovy Vary will stage an homage to one of the most important producers of independent film, Christine Vachon, with a screening of “You Sing Loud, I Sing Louder,” and one of her most recent productions, the romantic drama “Past Lives” by director Celine Song.
Vachon has helped bring to life dozens of award-winning films. She has spent many years working with outstanding talents in the field of independent cinema, such as Todd Haynes, Todd Solondz and Paul Schrader, and has also produced the directorial efforts of actors such as Helen Hunt and Ethan Hawke.
In 1996, she and Pamela Koffler founded Killer Films, which today is one of the most important companies in the field of independent cinema. Their first project, Haynes’ “Poison” (1991), won the Grand Jury Prize at the 1991 Sundance Film Festival. The drama “Boys Don’t Cry” (1999, dir. Kimberly Pierce) received an Oscar for Best Actress, and Haynes’ “Far From Heaven” (2002) earned four Oscar nominations. Vachon has also produced numerous other films, including “Velvet Goldmine” (1998, dir. Todd Haynes), “Happiness” (1999, dir. Todd Solondz), the music drama “I’m Not There” (2007, dir. Todd Haynes), which earned Cate Blanchett an Oscar nomination, and Haynes’ “May December” (2023), which screened in competition at Cannes this year.
She was also nominated for a Primetime Emmy for the TV movie “Mrs. Harris” (2005, dir. Phyllis Nagy) and the miniseries “Mildred Pierce” (2011, dir. Todd Haynes), starring Kate Winslet, which won a total of five Emmys.
