Due to rising concerns about COVID-19 and the Omicron version, the Palm Springs International Film Festival has cancelled its star-studded in-person awards ceremony. The Palm Springs International Film Festival’s organisers announced the cancellation on Monday. The annual awards were set to be awarded on January 6 at a black-tie event at the Palm Springs Convention Center. The organisation made the cancellation announcement in a statement that read, “We are taking this action due to the recent spike in COVID cases and out of an abundance of caution to ensure the health and safety of the honorees, patrons, and staff.” The Palm Springs Film Awards are one of the largest events in the film world with 2,500 guests and more than 1,000 staff in the room,” the statement continued.
“The Film Awards will partner with ‘Entertainment Tonight’ to celebrate this year’s honorees with details to follow. Those who purchased tickets for the Film Awards will be reimbursed. We hope to return to the Film Awards to an in-person event in 2023,” the statement concluded. The Palm Springs Film Festival, which runs from January 7 to 17, will still take place, with proof of vaccination and masks required in the theatres. The festival’s 2022 award honorees are Kristen Stewart (who won the Spotlight Award for Actress for ‘Spencer,’ Penelope Cruz (the International Star Award for Actress for ‘Parallel Mothers,’ Jane Campion (Director of the Year, ‘The Power of the Dog,’ Jessica Chastain (the Desert Palm Achievement Award, Actress for ‘The Eyes of Tammy Faye,’ Jennifer Hudson (the Chairman’s Award for Actress Andrew Garfield (the Desert Palm Achievement Award, Actor for ‘Tick, Tick … Boom!’), Lady Gaga (the Icon Award, ‘House of Gucci’) and Nicole Kidman (the Career Achievement Award,’ Being the Ricardos’).
Sir Kenneth Branagh and the cast of ‘Belfast’ (Caitriona Balfe, Jamie Dornan, Ciaran Hinds, and Jude Hill) received the Vanguard Award, while the Ensemble Performance Award went to the cast of ‘King Richard’ (Will Smith, Aunjanue Ellis, Saniyya Sidney, Demi Singleton, Jon Bernthal, and Tony Goldwyn). The Palm Springs Film Awards gala has been cancelled for the second consecutive year. Riz Ahmed (‘Sound of Metal,’ Viola Davis (‘Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom,’ Andra Day (‘The United States vs. Billie Holiday,’ Anthony Hopkins (‘The Father,’ Daniel Kaluuya (‘Judas and the Black Messiah,’ Carey Mulligan (‘Promising Young Woman,’ Leslie Odom Jr. (‘One Night in Miami,’ Gary Oldman (‘Mank,’ Chloe Zhao (‘ Hopkins, Kaluuya, and Zhao were among the 11 awardees to receive Academy Award nominations, with Hopkins, Kaluuya, and Zhao winning Oscars. Initially planned for January 7 at the Parker Palm Springs, honourees for that event include Javier Bardem (the Creative Impact in Acting award winner) and Asghar Farhadi (Creative Impact in Directing award).
