Australian actress Cate Blanchett will receive the BFI Fellowship, at the BFI London Film Festival’s annual Awards Ceremony on Saturday 17 October. It is the BFI’s highest honour.
The award is coincided with the premiere of the show, Truth, Based on the book Truth and Duty by Mary Mapes, starring Blanchett and Robert Redford. Truth is about the story of Mary Mapes, an award-winning CBS news journalist and producer of Dan Rather’s 60 Minutes.
Blanchett rose to international when she starred in the adaptation of Peter Carey’s Booker-prize winning novel Oscar and Lucinda with Ralph Fiennes in 1997. She bagged a stream of awards including Oscars. She won Oscar for best supporting actress for the ‘The Aviator’ in 2004 where she became the only actor to win an Oscar for portraying another Oscar-winning actor and best actress for Blue Jasmine, costarring Alec Baldwin and Sally Hawkins 2013.
She is one of only six actresses to win Academy Awards in both leading and supporting acting categories, and the only Australian to win two acting Oscars. She had an extensive career on stage which made her win four Helpmann Award for Best female Actor in a Play. She was named as one of the most successful actresses by Forbes magazine. She is ambassador of the Australian Film Institute and its academy, the Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts. She also spent five years, 2008-13, as co-CEO and artistic director of Sydney Theatre Company.
In 2007, Blanchett became the ambassador for the Australian Conservation Foundation’s online campaign – trying to persuade Australians to express their concerns about climate change. At the beginning of 2011, Blanchett lent her support for a carbon tax. She received some criticism for this, particularly from conservatives
“Cate Blanchett is a compelling and brave actress whose mesmerizing screen presence has captivated audiences since her earliest roles,” said BFI chairman Greg Dyke. “We are absolutely delighted to honor her extraordinary talents with a BFI Fellowship at this year’s LFF awards.”
The BFI fellowship is generally confused with honor given by Bafta (the British Academy of Film and Television Arts) because of the similarity in names. Some previous recipients include Tim Burton, Ralph Fiennes, Al Pacino, Mel Brooks, the late Sir Christopher Lee, Helena Bonham Carter in 2012. The BFI Fellowship is awarded to individuals for their outstanding contribution in film and television.
Blanchett acted flawlessly in Todd Haynes’ Carol, starring Ronney Mara, receiving praise upon its premiere in Cannes this year. Carol also screens at London Film Festival.
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