Las Vegas Weekly

May 28, 2009 · 10:42 AM

Jon Voight and Willem Dafoe among this year’s CineVegas honorees

By Robin Leach

Jon Voight.

Photo: Rocky Mountain News

CineVegas will honor two actors, two directors and two video game design pioneers at this year’s festival. Jon Voight will be given the Marquee Award, recognizing his artistic excellence, professional accomplishment and dedication to cinema. Willem Dafoe will be honored with the Vanguard Actor Award, which honors the distinctive mark he has made in film through his performances.

The Vanguard Director Award will be given to George and Mike Kuchar, which recognizes their distinctive vision and ability to make films without compromise. Additionally, CineVegas will honor Jenova Chen and Kellee Santiago with the inaugural Planet Illogica Award for Excellence in New Media for artists working in video gaming who have pushed the boundaries of storytelling in their field.

The awards will be presented June 14 at the CineVegas Awards Reception at Rain in the Palms. “What an honor it is for CineVegas to have the opportunity to recognize the accomplishments of these esteemed actors, directors and artists at our 11th annual festival,” said Trevor Groth, the festival’s director.

Photo: People

Willem Dafoe.

Jon came to prominence with a performance as a would-be hustler in 1969’s Best Picture winner Midnight Cowboy, for which he earned his first Academy Award nomination. He received a Best Actor Oscar for Coming Home and his fourth Oscar nomination portraying Howard Cosell in Ali. He is currently starring in 24 as the villain Jonas Hodges. As part of the tribute, CineVegas will present the rare, newly remastered director’s cut of Lookin’ to Get Out (1982), directed by Hal Ashby, starring and co-written by Jon and filmed in Las Vegas.

Willem is a two-time Academy Award nominee and has appeared in more than 70 films. Some of his upcoming film releases include Werner Herzog’s My Son My Son, Wes Anderson’s Fantastic Mr. Fox, Day Breakers and Cirque du Freak. A conversation with Willem will be held June 14, followed by a screening of his 1982 film The Loveless.

Robin Leach has been a journalist for more than 50 years and has spent the past decade giving readers the inside scoop on Las Vegas, the world’s premier platinum playground.

Share This