VARIETY TO HONOR STEVE CARELL, ROB MARSHALL, CHRIS ROCK AND “10 DIRECTORS TO WATCH” AT 2015 PALM SPRINGS INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL

VARIETY TO HONOR STEVE CARELL, ROB MARSHALL, CHRIS ROCK AND “10 DIRECTORS TO WATCH” AT 2015 PALM SPRINGS INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL

Variety will present actor Steve Carell with the Creative Impact in Acting Award, presented by Mercedes-Benz, which celebrates his scope of work, ranging from his comedic performances to his most recent dramatic work with his critically acclaimed and groundbreaking performance in this year’s “Foxcatcher,” for which he has received both Golden Globe and SAG Award nominations. In addition, Variety will present two-time Directors Guild of American Award-winner and Oscar, Golden Globe, and Tony Award nominated director Rob Marshall with the Creative Impact in Directing Award, presented by Mercedes-Benz, which celebrates his career as a theater and film director, specifically for his work in translating the acclaimed Sondheim musical “Into the Woods” onto the screen. New to the program this year, Variety will present Emmy Award winning comedian, director and actor Chris Rock with the Creative Impact in Comedy Award, presented by Mercedes-Benz, for his critically acclaimed film “Top Five,” for which he was honored with the Spotlight Award by the National Board of Review for writing, directing and starring in the film. “Top Five” was also recognized by the Broadcast Film Critics Association with nominations for Best Comedy, Best Actor in a Comedy for Rock and Best Actress in a Comedy for Rosario Dawson. 

 “Since his emergence as one of America’s most gifted comedic actors two decades ago, Steve Carell’s career has moved through breakout hit television and film roles from “The 40 Year Old Virgin” to “Little Miss Sunshine” to “The Office.” Now, with his gripping portrayal of a man whose dreams and whims are overwhelmed by internal destructive forces beyond his control, Carell is firmly placed in the front ranks of America’s finest dramatic performers,” said Steve Gaydos, Vice President and Executive Editor at Variety. “Likewise director Rob Marshall not only re-launched the modern movie musical with ‘Chicago,’ he managed to translate one of the most complicated and beloved musicals of our time to the big screen with the recent “Into The Woods” and showcases and continuing creative vitality and artistic risk-taking in all of his work. We are especially excited to add a comedy award into the program this year. Long regarded as one of America’s funniest and most groundbreaking comedians, Chris Rock has just taken his career and art to a new level with “Top Five.” Straight from its first festival screening, which resulted in a massive bidding war and created anticipation for Rock’s legions of fans, “Top Five” established the comic as one of America’s most provocative and dynamic filmmakers.”

 Previous recipients have included Jonah Hill, David O. Russell, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Charlize Theron and Mark Wahlberg.

 “10 Directors to Watch”

 “10 Directors to Watch” debuted in 1996 and the annual event moved to the Palm Springs International Film Festival in January 2011.  “10 Directors to Watch” was the first of Variety’s “10 to Watch” series spotlighting the most exciting new talents in the fields of directing, writing, producing, acting, cinematography and comedy.  This year’s “10 Directors to Watch” include: Sean Baker (“Tangerine”), Justin Benson & Aaron Moorhead (“Spring”), Ava DuVernay (“Selma”), Shlomi Elkabetz & Ronit Elkabetz (“Gett, the Trial of Viviane Amsalem”), Jeremy Garelick (“The Wedding Ringer”), Dan Gilroy (“Nightcrawler”), Marielle Heller (“Diary of a Teenage Girl”), Ruben Ostlund (“Force Majeure”), Damian Szifron (“Wild Tales”), Leigh Whannell (“Insidious: Chapter 3”).

 Past “10 Directors to Watch” honorees have included Ben Affleck (“Gone Baby Gone”), Wes Anderson (“Bottle Rocket”), Scott Cooper (“Crazy Heart”), Marc Webb (“500 Days of Summer”), Christopher Nolan (“Memento”), Sam Taylor Wood (“Nowhere Boy”) and Benh Zeitlin (“Beasts of the Southern Wild”), among others.

 Palm Springs International Film Festival Director Darryl Macdonald stated, “We’re delighted to once again be co-hosting Variety’s ’10 Directors to Watch’ event at the Festival, celebrating a group of exceptionally gifted emerging talents who have each exhibited extraordinary storytelling skills. That quality is our guiding light in programming this Festival, and we congratulate all of the honorees for being selected for these awards, while joining Variety in saluting each of them.” 

 “Now one of the hottest tickets at the festival, Variety’s 10 Directors To Watch Brunch at the Parker has become the place to rub shoulders with the hottest emerging international filmmakers, a bevy of industry and media power players,” said Helen du Toit, Artistic Director of the Palm Springs Film Festival. “We look forward to toasting all of the directors and are doubly thrilled to be presenting the five films of their honored directors at the festival, three of which are foreign language Oscar submissions, (Israel’s powerful courtroom drama Gett: The Tiral of Viviane Ansallem by siblings Ronit & Shmlomi Elbabetz, Argentinian director Damián Szifron’s Cannes hit Wild Tales, and Swedish director Ruben Ostend’s Force Majeure), the indie genre-bending Spring from Justin Benson & Aaron Moorhead, and Ava DuVernay’s Selma, which will be our Opening Night film.”

  The event will be presented by Mercedes-Benz with venue partner the Parker Palm Springs.

Steve Carell to Receive the Variety Creative Impact in Acting Award, presented by Mercedes-Benz.

Rob Marshall to Receive the Variety Creative Impact in Directing Award presented by Mercedes-Benz.

Chris Rock to Receive the Variety Creative Impact in Comedy Award presented by Mercedes-Benz