Susan Sarandon to be honoured at Spain's top film awards

Veteran Hollywood star Susan Sarandon will receive the international prize at Spain’s top film awards next month in recognition of her “extraordinary” career and her “brave political and social commitment”, the Spanish Cinema Academy announced on Wednesday. The honour celebrates decades of influential work in cinema alongside sustained public engagement beyond the screen.
The Oscar-winning US actor, now 79, will be honoured at the 40th Goya awards ceremony, which will take place in Barcelona on February 28. According to the Academy, Sarandon represents “the perfect combination of talent and professional success, glamour; and social and political commitment”, a balance that has defined both her artistic choices and her public persona throughout her career.
Her filmography includes what the Academy described as “unquestionable masterpieces, iconic films that have entered popular culture and cult gems”, Among the titles highlighted were The Witches of Eastwick, The Client and Atlantic City, all cited as “legendary” works that contributed to her enduring international reputation and cultural impact.
The Academy also emphasised Sarandon’s “versatility”, pointing to her wide-ranging performances across genres, as well as “her voice in numerous causes and her taste for risk and experimental cinema”. One example singled out was her role in the feminist classic Thelma and Louise, a film that has remained culturally resonant decades after its release.
Sarandon won the Academy Award for Best Actress in 1996 for her performance in Dead Man Walking, in which she portrayed a nun who offers spiritual support to a man sentenced to death. The role is frequently cited as one of the most powerful performances of her career.
Beyond film, the Academy described her as a “staunch defender of human rights”. Sarandon has been outspoken on political and social issues, including criticism of what she called “genocide” in Gaza and has engaged publicly in debates over free speech and the death penalty in the United States.
With this award, Sarandon joins a list of previous international prize recipients at the Goyas that includes Cate Blanchett, Juliette Binoche, Sigourney Weaver and Richard Gere. — AFP