SCAD Savannah Film Fest: ‘Blitz’ to Open, ‘Emilia Pérez’ and ‘Anora’ Stars Among 11 Honorees

The SCAD Savannah Film Festival, an increasingly important stop on the road to the Oscars, will kick off its 2024 edition on Oct. 26 with a screening of Apple’s Blitz — writer/director Steve McQueen will be on hand to collect the fest’s Outstanding Achievement in Directing Award — and will also screen many other top awards contenders including Netflix’s Emilia Pérez, Neon’s Anora, A24’s Sing Sing and DreamWorks’ The Wild Robot, The Hollywood Reporter can exclusively report.

A host of prominent individuals who are in awards contention will make appearances — and collect special honors — at the largest university-run film festival in the nation.

A trio of best actress contenders will be on hand: Karla Sofía Gascón will receive the Distinguished Performance Award at a screening of Emilia Pérez; Mikey Madison will receive the Breakthrough Award at a screening of Anora; and Daisy Ridley will receive the Lumiere Award in recognition of her current projects Magpie and Young Woman and the Sea.

As will be three best actor contenders: Colman Domingo will receive the Spotlight Award at a screening of Sing Sing; Sebastian Stan will receive the Maverick Award at a screening of A Different Man; and Jharrel Jerome will receive the Lumiere Award at a screening of Unstoppable.

Lupita Nyong’o, who voices a principal character in The Wild Robot, will receive the Virtuoso Award at a screening of that film. Writer/director Richard Linklater will receive the Lifetime Achievement in Screenwriting Award at a screening of Hit Man. And 23-year-old actress Isabela Merced will receive the Rising Star Award at a screening of Alien: Romulus.

Additionally, producer extraordinaire Jerry Bruckheimer, who worked on Young Woman and the Sea, will receive the Legend of Entertainment Award at an In Conversation event discussing his career; and Annette Bening will receive the Lifetime Achievement Award at a screening of her 1990 film The Grifters.

“This year’s honorees epitomize the extraordinary breadth of talent within the world of cinema, from seasoned veterans to Hollywood’s rising stars,” Christina Routhier, the fest’s executive director, tells THR. “I am thrilled for our students and attendees to witness the incredible star power coming to Savannah.”

This year’s SCAD Savannah Film Festival, which will run from Oct. 26 to Nov. 2, will announce a number of other prominent attendees in the coming days, including the filmmakers whose documentaries will be featured on the 11th annual Docs to Watch Panel, which will be moderated, as always, by yours truly, this year on Wednesday, Oct. 30.