Colin Farrell ‘beyond excited' to receive Zurich Film Festival's Golden Icon Award
The Irishman, who hails from Dublin but now lives in the US, has been confirmed as the 2025 recipient of Zurich Film Festival's Golden Icon Award.
Having starred in the likes of Miami Vice, In Bruges and The Killing of a Sacred Deer, Farrell received a Golden Globe and was nominated for an Oscar for his role in Martin McDonagh's 2022 hit The Banshees of Inisherin.
He will fly to Switzerland to accept his latest award during the annual Zurich Film Festival which takes place from September 25 to October 5.
There he will be honoured for his lengthy career and also his performance in his recent film, Netflix's Ballad of a Small Player, in which he was guided by Swiss director Edward Berger.
Colin Farrell will receive the Golden Icon Award at this year's Zurich Film Festival (Pic: Zurich Film Festival)
Farrell and Berger will both be at the festival, where they will present a gala premiere screening of the film in person.
'Colin Farrell is one of the most passionate and charismatic character actors in auteur cinema», says Zurich Film Festival director Christian Jungen.
'He's just as convincing as a villain as he is a romantic lead, or in complex roles that fall somewhere in between - like in Edward Berger's irresistible tragicomedy Ballad of a Small Player, where Colin captivates us as a roguish gambler and makes us root for his character.'
He added: 'Colin Farrell has already worked with many great filmmakers, but under Edward Berger's direction, he truly reaches new heights.
'He carries the film from beginning to end and takes us on an emotional roller coaster that makes us laugh, cry, and marvel.
'For this outstanding performance, which could earn him another Oscar nomination, and for his invaluable contribution to auteur cinema, we are honoring Colin Farrell with the Golden Icon Award.
'The fact that Colin will receive the award in the presence of Edward Berger, last year's award recipient, makes the occasion even more special.
'We've shown several of Colin's films at ZFF over the past years, and we are thrilled to welcome him to Zurich in person for the very first time.'
Farrell claims he is equally excited about the upcoming event.
'I'd like to thank Zurich Film Festival for inviting Ballad of a Small Player to the festival, and for honouring me with the Golden Icon Award,' he said this week.
'It'll be my first time visiting the beautiful city of Zurich and I'm beyond excited to walk its streets, drink its coffee and move amongst its people,' he added.
'It's both generous and humbling to have my years of making film recognised by such a storied festival, one that champions film from all corners of the globe.
'It will be an absolute pleasure to visit later this year, and we are thrilled to be bringing Ballad of a Small Player to audiences there.'
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