This year’s Museum of Modern Art’s film benefit will honor Cate Blanchett.
The film department at MoMA, which will host the event in New York on Nov. 17, is celebrating its 80th anniversary this year. The Academy Award-winning actress follows in the footsteps of Alfonso Cuaron, who was last year’s recipient.
One of the most accomplished actresses working in Hollywood, Blanchett won the 2014 best actress Oscar for Blue Jasmine and the 2005 best supporting actress Oscar for The Aviator. She has also starred in seven films that were nominated for the Academy Award for best picture, including Elizabeth and The Curious Case of Benjamin Button. She is expected to be in the awards-season mix this year thanks to her star turn as the titular heroine in Todd Haynes’ period drama Carol, which received rave reviews at the Cannes Film Festival. She also stars alongside Robert Redford in the highly anticipated drama Truth about the scandal that erupted over a Dan Rather news report challenging President George W. Bush’s military service (both Carol and Truth open theatrically later this year).
The MoMA benefit will be highlighted by a tribute recognizing Blanchett’s onscreen career.
“As MoMA’s Department of Film marks its 80th anniversary, we’re thrilled to honor a woman who embodies the greatest traditions of screen acting, while fiercely embracing innovation and risk,” said Rajendra Roy, the Celeste Bartos Chief Curator of Film at MoMA. “Cate Blanchett has the kind of talent that inspires others to deliver their best work, challenges the field to be more fully engaged with women artists and audiences and propels cinema forward with intelligence and grace.”
MoMA’s film collection includes several films starring Blanchett, including The Lord of the Rings trilogy, The Aviator, The Good German, The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey and The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug. Originally founded in 1935 as the Film Library, MoMA’s collection is recognized as the most comprehensive in the United States, with more than 30,000 international films from all periods and genres. The benefit enables the continued maintenance and growth of the important collection as well as film series, premieres, festivals and retrospectives.
MoMA’s film benefit honor is one of the most prestigious during the awards season. Previous honorees include Tilda Swinton, Quentin Tarantino, Pedro Almodovar, Kathryn Bigelow, Tim Burton and Baz Luhrmann.
Via THR