Information and Broadcasting Minister of India Anurag Thakur on Friday announced that Hollywood actor Michael Douglas will be honoured with the prestigious Satyajit Ray Excellence in Film Lifetime Award at the 54th International Film Festival Goa. He took to his X (formerly Twitter) account to share the news and wrote, ''I'm delighted to announce that Michael Douglas, the distinguished Hollywood Actor and Producer, will be honoured with the prestigious Satyajit Ray Excellence in Film Lifetime Award at the 54th International Film Festival Goa.''''His deep love for our country, is well known, and we look forward to welcome him, Catherine Zeta Jones and their son, to the most prominent Film Festival in South Asia to showcase our rich cinematic culture and unique traditions at #IFFI54!!'' he added.
The Satyajit Ray Lifetime Achievement Award, instituted in the 30th IFFI in 1999, is presented to individuals whose exceptional contributions have significantly enriched and elevated the world of cinema.
The 79-year-old American actor is a two-time Oscar winner and a five-time Golden Globe award winner. The actor made his film debut in 1966 with Cast a Giant Shadow. Some of his popular work in films include Wall Street (1987), Basic Instinct (1992), Falling Down (1993), The American President (1995), Traffic (2000) and Behind the Candelabra (2013).
Apart from acting, he has also produced numerous critically acclaimed films like One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest (1975), The China Syndrome (1979), and The Game (1999).
What is the International Film Festival of India (IFFI)?
As per the PIB website, IFFI is a significant event in the global cinematic calendar, and will be graced by the celebrated actor, accompanied by his spouse, eminent actress and philanthropist Catherine Zeta-Jones and their son and actor, Dylan Douglas. Indian Film producer and founder of Percept Ltd and the Sunburn music festival Shailendra Singh, who is celebrating his 25 years in the Indian Film industry will also be in attendance.
The Satyajit Ray Lifetime Achievement Award has previously honored luminaries such as Bernardo Bertolucci (IFFI 30), Carlos Saura (IFFI 53), Martin Scorsese (IFFI 52), Dilip Kumar (IFFI 38), Krzysztof Zanussi (IFFI 43), and Wong Kar-wai (IFFI 45), among other major film personalities.
