Outfest have announed that James Franco and Sundance Film Festival Director John Cooper are to receive this year’s honorary awards, reports Variety.
Franco is to receive the first ever James Schamus Ally Award, created to recognise an individual’s efforts in bringing LGBTQ stories to the forefront, which will be presented to him by director Gus Van Sant on July 16.
Cooper, who is the former Outfest Director of Programming, will receive the Achievement Award. Previous recipients include John Cameron Mitchell, James Schamus, Kimberly Peirce, John Waters, Jane Lynch, Bill Condon, Fenton Bailey and Randy Barbato, Don Roos, Todd Haynes, Christine Vachon and Gus Van Sant.
Commenting on the honour of receiving the inaugural James Schamus Ally Award Franco said, “I am thrilled to have my name linked with such a Hollywood legend and someone who shepherded all kinds of stories. Nothing was beyond the pale for Schamus — he saw value and entertainment in it all. His work on Wedding Banquet to Brokeback Mountain to Milk changed the landscape for queer cinema and I only hope to make such an impression.” — AFP-Relaxnews
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