Tommy Lee Jones to receive the American Riviera Award

Movies News

By Mary McSweeney Nov 6, 2007, 17:15 GMT

The Santa Barbara International Film Festival will honor Tommy Lee Jones with the American Riviera Award at the 23rd edition of the Fest, which runs January 24-February 3, 2008, it was announced today by SBIFF Executive Director Roger Durling. 10/06/2007 - Tommy Lee Jones - 45th New York Film Festival - 'No Country For Old Men' Movie Screening - Arrivals - Frederick P. Rose Hall - New York City, NY, USA © Janet Mayer / PR Photos

10/06/2007 - Tommy Lee Jones - 45th New York Film Festival - 'No Country For Old Men' Movie Screening - Arrivals - Frederick P. Rose Hall - New York City, NY, USA © Janet Mayer / PR PhotosThe American Riviera Award will be presented to Tommy Lee Jones on Friday, February 1, 2008. Previous recipients include Forest Whitaker and Philip Seymour Hoffman, both of whom went on to win Academy Awards. Jones’ performances in the critically acclaimed film "In the Valley of Elah" by director Paul Haggis, and "No Country for Old Men" from Joel and Ethan Cohen have both been applauded by critics and audiences alike this year. "Elah," which also stars Charlize Theron, is about a career officer who investigates the disappearance of his son, an exemplary soldier who went AWOL after his recent return from Iraq. Jones also quietly shines in the Cohen Brothers tale.“To have the opportunity to honor an actor as accomplished as Tommy Lee Jones is wonderful for us, but to do it in a year when he has had two equally powerful performances—that makes this our honor,” said Durling.In his career, Jones has been in memorable dramatic films such as "Cobb", "Blue Sky", "The Client", "Heaven and Earth" and "Coal Miners Daughter" - for which he received his first Golden Globe nomination. His first Oscar nomination came from his role as Clay Shaw in "JFK," three years later Jones was awarded the Best Supporting Actor Oscar for his portrayal of U.S. Marshal Sam Gerard in "The Fugitive."Jones made his feature directorial debut with "The Three Burials of Melquiades Estrada", in which he also starred and subsequently won Best Actor at the Cannes Film Festival. He has also shown his flair for comedic timing in films like "Space Cowboys" and "A Prairie Home Companion." The tribute will take place at the Lobero Theatre at 8pm on Friday, February 1 with a multimedia presentation produced by Paul Fagen of P. Fagen Productions. The Santa Barbara International Film Festival, set to run January 24 through February 3, 2008, is a non-profit organization dedicated to enriching local culture and raising consciousness of film as an art form. LINK