Palm Springs, CA (December 1, 2016) – The 28th annual Palm Springs International Film Festival(PSIFF) will present the cast of Hidden Figures with the Ensemble Performance Award. Expected to attend are Taraji P. Henson, Octavia Spencer, Janelle Monáe, Kevin Costner, and Jim Parsons. The Film Awards Gala, hosted by Mary Hart, will be held Monday, January 2 at the Palm Springs Convention Center. The Festival runs January 2-16.
Past recipients of the Ensemble Performance Award include Academy Award® winner for Best PictureArgo as well as past Best Picture nominees American Hustle, Babel, The Big Short, The Imitation Gameand The Social Network.
Hidden Figures is the incredible untold story of Katherine Johnson (Taraji P. Henson), Dorothy Vaughan (Octavia Spencer) and Mary Jackson (Janelle Monáe) – brilliant African-American women working at NASA, who served as the brains behind one of the greatest operations in history: the launch of astronaut John Glenn into orbit, a stunning achievement that restored the nation’s confidence, turned around the Space Race, and galvanized the world. The visionary trio crossed all gender and race lines to inspire generations to dream big. The film is directed by Theodore Melfi from a screenplay by Allison Schroeder and Theodore Melfi, based on the book by Margot Lee Shetterly.
Previously announced honorees attending the 2017 Film Awards Gala are Casey Affleck, Tom Hanks, Nicole Kidman, Ruth Negga, Natalie Portman and the cast of La La Land, including Emma Stone, Ryan Gosling, and director Damien Chazelle.