Irish writer/director/producer Jim Sheridan has been named the recipient of this year’s Gregory Peck Award, an honour bestowed in recognition of Excellence in the Art of Film, at the 2009 Dingle Film Festival.
The Gregory Peck Award will be presented to Mr. Sheridan by Anthony Peck, Gregory Peck’s son, who will be traveling from Los Angeles to the festival to represent the Peck family at a ceremony in The Phoenix Cinema, Dingle on Friday 11th September at 8pm.
Sheridan is behind some of Ireland’s most successful features including ‘My Left Foot’, ‘The Field’, ‘Into the West’, ‘In the Name of the Father’ and ‘Some Mother’s Son’. He has also directed the international hits including ‘In America’ and ‘Get Rich or Die Tryin’ and his latest project ‘Brothers’ which is due for release in 2009. His films have won him two Academy Awards and sixteen nominations for the same.
Jim Sheridan lives in Dublin with his wife Fran. They have three daughters, Kirsten, Naomi and Tess, who have collaborated with their father.
"Our entire family is extremely pleased that Jim Sheridan will be so deservedly honoured with the Gregory Peck Award For Excellence in Film," said Mrs. Veronique Peck. "Gregory greatly admired Jim's films and his dedication to his craft. My husband always thought of himself as a 'story teller,' and in that sense he would be gratified that such a pre-eminent teller of stories as Jim would be recognized with this honour, and in his beloved County Kerry."
Jim Sheridan commented: "I am honoured to receive award and follow in the footsteps of Gabriel Byrne. Gregory Peck was a great man to know and was always welcoming at his home with Veronique and Cecilia and Anthony."
Last year was the first year that the Gregory Peck Award was presented and it was given to actor Gabriel Byrne (The Usual Suspects), as the highlight of the Festival.
The 2009 Dingle Film Festival will take place from 10 – 13 September 2009.
