Vanessa Redgrave to Receive Lifetime Achievement Award at European Film Awards

British actress Vanessa Redgrave, aged 86, is set to be honored with the Lifetime Achievement Award at the European Film Awards ceremony on December 9th in Berlin. This recognition from the European Film Academy celebrates her exceptional contributions to the world of cinema.

Vanessa Redgrave has been announced as the guest of honor at the 36th European Film Awards in Berlin. Hailing from London and born into a family of actors, she began her career as a member of the renowned Royal Shakespeare Company in the 1960s, primarily focusing on theater. Her breakthrough in the world of international cinema came in 1966 with her role in Michelangelo Antonioni’s influential film “Blow Up.”

In 1977, Vanessa Redgrave won an Oscar for her supporting role in “Julia.” Her impressive list of accolades also includes an Emmy for her work in “The Girls’ Orchestra of Auschwitz,” the Golden Lion at the 2018 Venice Film Festival, the 2019 Golden Camera for her lifetime achievements, as well as the Olivier Award and a Tony Award for her contributions to the stage.

Throughout her career, Vanessa Redgrave has been an outspoken advocate for various causes, often attracting controversy. Her support for the Palestinian cause and the PLO led to death threats against the Oscar Academy prior to the 1977 ceremony. In her acceptance speech, she condemned all forms of totalitarianism, firmly asserting her and the Academy’s resilience against those attempting to intimidate them.

In 1999, she declined a royal honor as a dame in protest against then-British Prime Minister Tony Blair. Nevertheless, she was eventually appointed Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire by Queen Elizabeth II as part of the 2022 New Year Honors. Vanessa Redgrave consistently used her platform to speak out against war and nuclear armament, while also championing charitable causes, including her role as a Unicef ambassador.