German actress Diane Kruger will be honored with the Golden Eye award, a lifetime achievement prize, at this year’s Zurich Film Festival, the festival announced Thursday.
Kruger has had a diverse career, balancing roles in global blockbusters — she is arguably best-known for her turn in Quentin Tarantino’s Inglourious Basterds and for her performances alongside Nicolas Cage in the National Treasure films — with work in more international and art house movies. Her starring role in Fatih Akin’s In the Fade, as a victim of neo-Nazi violence who seeks bloody revenge, won her the best actress prize in Cannes in 2017. More recently, she starred in Neil Jordan’s 1930s-set crime thriller Marlowe alongside Liam Neeson. Marlowe screened in Zurich last year.
“Diane Kruger is one of cinema’s most versatile character actresses. She not only becomes wholly absorbed in each and every role she takes on, but also imparts her characters with great depth,” said Zurich Film Festival artistic director Christian Jungen, announcing the honor. “In addition to her powerful charisma, she possesses the rare ability to captivate audiences with her irresistible, somewhat enigmatic aura…. For these reasons, we are truly delighted to be welcoming Diane Kruger back to Zurich and presenting her with the Golden Eye for her services to cinema.”
Kruger will accept her Golden Eye honor on Oct. 2 and present Visions, her new film from director Yann Gozlan (Black Box). The French drama follows Estelle, a brilliant airline captain (Kruger), who risks her perfect life with her husband Guillaume (Mathieu Kassovitz) when she falls in love with a woman and starts an intense affair. Visions will have its international premiere in Zurich.
Previous Zurich Golden Eye winners include Eddie Redmayne, Kristen Stewart, Jake Gyllenhaal, John Malkovich, Helen Hunt and Olivia Colman.
The 2023 Zurich Film Festival runs from Sept. 28 until Oct. 8.
