Academy Award-winner Kate Winslet will be honored with the Golden Icon Award at Zurich Film Festival and present her new film LEE directed by Ellen Kuras, in which she stars as the war photographer Lee Miller, and acts as a co-producer.
Kate Winslet commented on the honor, saying, “Thank you to the Zurich Film Festival for this wonderful honor and for recognizing LEE, a film that has truly been a labour of love for me, and of which I am immensely proud. I am so grateful to the Zurich Film Festival for creating this moment to celebrate our film and to everyone who has been a part of this epic journey. LEE has been and remains, a pride and joy for me, I am looking forward immensely to visiting Zurich in October, alongside my producing partner, Kate Solomon, as well as Lee Miller’s only son, the endlessly supportive Antony Penrose, and to share our film with you all in person.”
LEE tells the story of photographer Lee Miller (1907–1977), who made a name for herself as a correspondent for British Vogue during the Second World War. Winslet embodies the fearless Lee–one of the most important female war photographers of the 20th century–on her mission to reveal the hidden truths of the Third Reich. LEE was directed by Oscar-nominated director Ellen Kuras, reuniting Winslet and Kuras for the first time since Eternal Sunshine of The Spotless Mind. In LEE, Winslet plays alongside Andy Samberg, Andrea Riseborough, Alexander Skarsgård, Josh O’Connor, and Marion Cotillard.
Kate Winslet is considered one of the most important actors of our time and has delivered brilliant performances as the leading actress in some of the most successful films in history: from Titanic to Eternal Sunshine of The Spotless Mind, The Reader and Sense and Sensibility to Avatar: The Way of Water. She has worked with legendary directors such as James Cameron, Peter Jackson, Sam Mendes, Jane Campion, Michel Gondry, Marc Forster, Todd Haynes and Danny Boyle. Winslet is the star guest at the 20th Zurich Film Festival and will be honored with the Golden Icon Award for her outstanding acting achievement and her impressive career.
Previous winners of the Golden Icon Award include Jessica Chastain, Hugh Jackman, Cate Blanchett and Hugh Grant.
“Kate Winslet is a true icon of cinema and shines through her versatility in big studio blockbusters as well as small indie productions. Her multifaceted choice of roles and her long Hollywood career make her a favorite with audiences of multiple generations,” explains Christian Jungen, Artistic Director of the ZFF. “We are therefore delighted to welcome her in the year of our 20th anniversary and to honour her with the Golden Icon Award for her achievements. We have attempted several times to welcome her as a guest at the ZFF, and now it has finally worked out – a great gift for our anniversary edition!”
The 20th Zurich Film Festival will take place from October 3 to 13, 2024, and Kate Winslet will accept the Golden Eye on October 7 before presenting her new film, LEE.