2016 SAN DIEGO INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL ANNOUNCES KATE BECKINSALE AS THE CINEMA VANGUARD AWARD RECIPIENT

– Festival to kick off this year from September 28th to October 2nd –  

SAN DIEGO, CA (September 12, 2016) – The San Diego International Film Festival (SDiFF), produced by the San Diego Film Foundation, announced today that Kate Beckinsale will be the recipient of The Cinema Vanguard Award for 2016. The award will be presented Sept 29th at The Night of the Stars Tribute at the Museum of Contemporary Art in La Jolla, CA. Now in its 15th year, the San Diego International Film Festival will run from September 28th through October 2nd in San Diego, CA. The most up to date festival information is available at www.sdiff.com.

The Cinema Vanguard Award honors an actor who has the tenacity to forge new ground within their craft. Beckinsale is an immensely gifted actress who has proven to be one of the industry’s most versatile and charismatic performers. She received critical praise for her role as Lady Susan in Whit’s Stillman’s romantic drama Love and Friendship, an adaptation of a Jane Austen’s novella that premiered at Sundance this year. The actress will next be seen in the fifth installment of the sci-fi fantasy, Underworld: Blood Wars, where she reprises her role as the iconic action hero ‘Selene.’ Rising to fame in 2001, Beckinsale starred opposite Ben Affleck and Josh Hartnett in the Academy Award-winning film Pearl Harbor. Additional film credits include Total Recall; Contraband, The Aviator; Laurel Canyon, Serendipity; Brokedown Palace; The Last Days of Disco; Much Ado About Nothing.

“Kate is a wonderful performer and we couldn’t be happier to present her with the Cinema Vanguard Award, which is an indication of all the fine work she has done in such a wide variety of film roles,” said Tonya Mantooth, Executive and Artistic Director of the San Diego International Film Festival.

SDiFF is proud to screen a diverse range of narrative, documentary, spotlight and short films. Screenings will be held in the newly renovated historic Balboa Theater and Regal Theaters in Downtown San Diego, and ArcLight Cinemas in La Jolla. The complete list of 2016 San Diego Film Festival titles including descriptions will soon be available at sdiff.com.

Passes are currently on sale to VIP members and the general public. In addition to screenings and events, passes provide access to the official festival lounge and parties where pass holders interact with Festival filmmakers and professionals in the film community. Individual tickets to The Night of the Stars Tribute are currently on sale.

For more information regarding passes/tickets, press accreditation, industry passes, or sponsorship opportunities, please visit SDiFF.com.  San Diego International Film Festival is produced by the nonprofit, San Diego Film Foundation.

More additions will be added to the program and announced soon.

About the San Diego International Film Festival
Founded in 2001, the San Diego International Film Festival, currently produced by the San Diego Film Foundation, is the region’s premier showcase for outstanding U.S. and international independent filmmaking. The five-day event is an entertaining, enlightening and educational gathering that embraces the region’s diverse cultural landscape, enhances the arts community and expands the economic vitality of San Diego. Learn more about the San Diego Film Festival at www.sdiff.com, or on Facebook and Twitter.

About the San Diego Film Foundation
The San Diego Film Foundation is an educational 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that produces the annual San Diego International Film Festival. Its mission is to support the art of independent filmmaking through producing an annual film festival, developing stimulating film-related events throughout the year, supporting and nurturing student filmmaking programs in local schools, supporting the development of the local filmmaking industry, and enhancing the economic growth of San Diego.

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