“The Irishman” director Martin Scorsese will be presented with the Sonny Bono Visionary Award at the 31st annual Palm Springs International Film Festival, it was announced on Friday.
The event will take place on Jan. 2, while the festival runs from Jan. 2 to Jan. 13.
“Martin Scorsese has directed another masterpiece about the world of organized crime with his latest film ‘The Irishman,’ which brings to life the epic story of hitman Frank Sheeran,” Festival chairman Harold Matzner said. “The film is one of Scorsese’s finest and features outstanding performances from its stars Robert De Niro, Al Pacino and Joe Pesci. We are delighted to recognize Martin Scorsese with this year’s Sonny Bono Visionary Award for this extraordinary directorial achievement.”
The Sonny Bono Award is named after the festival’s founder and former Palm Springs mayor and is presented to a filmmaker that breaks boundaries in cinema. Past recipients include Alfonso Cuarón, Danny Boyle, Tom Hooper, Tom McCarthy and Quentin Tarantino.
Scorsese joins previously announced festival honorees Joaquin Phoenix, Charlize Theron and Renée Zellweger.
Scorsese most recently directed “The Irishman” starring Robert De Niro, Al Pacino and Joe Pesci, and is based on the book “I Heard You Paint Houses” by Charles Brandt. His other credits include “Mean Streets,” “Taxi Driver,” “Raging Bull,” “Goodfellas,” “Gangs of New York,” “The Aviator,” “Silence,” “The Departed,” “Shutter Island” and “Hugo.” “The Departed” won an Academy Award for Best Director and Best Picture.