FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Mary Ellms, [email protected]
25th Annual Maine International Film Festival to Honor Actor Debra Winger
WATERVILLE, Maine—The Maine International Film Festival (MIFF) will present its annual Mid-Life Achievement Award to actor Debra Winger at a special ceremony held at the Waterville Opera House on Friday, July 15, following a special 35mm screening of “A Dangerous Woman,” for which she received a Golden Globe nomination. Best known as an Academy Award nominee for her work in “An Officer and a Gentleman,” “Terms of Endearment,” and “Shadowlands,” Winger has had a stellar acting career, working in a wide variety of genres with directors including Bernardo Bertolucci, Jonathan Demme, James L. Brooks, Bob Rafelson, and James Bridges.
“We’re tremendously excited to have Debra join us at the festival this year, and to have the chance to showcase the wide diversity of films that she’s given great performances in,” said MIFF programming director Ken Eisen.
Winger played Diana Prince’s younger sister in the television series “Wonder Woman” before appearing opposite John Travolta in her first major film, “Urban Cowboy,” for which she earned BAFTA and Golden Globe nominations. Winger continued to rise to stardom throughout the 1980s and early 1990s, winning a National Society of Film Critics Award for Best Actress for “Terms of Endearment” and a second BAFTA nomination for “Shadowlands.” Other accolades followed, including National Society of Film Critics Award nominations for “Everybody Wins” and “The Sheltering Sky” and a Golden Globe nomination for “A Dangerous Woman,” co-starring 2016 MIFF Mid-Life Achievement Award honoree Gabriel Byrne. After an acting hiatus in the late 1990s, Winger returned to acting, giving acclaimed performances in “Dawn Anna,” “Rachel Getting Married,” “Law & Order,” and “The Ranch.”
The Mid-Life Achievement Award presentation will be followed by a party in Winger’s honor at Front & Main, 9 Main Street, Waterville. Admission to the party will be limited to ticket purchasers of the screening and festival pass holders. Winger will be in Waterville for several days of the Festival for screenings of “Mike’s Murder,” “The Lovers,” and “The Sheltering Sky.”
“As we celebrate an incredible MIFF milestone this year – our 25th anniversary – we could not have asked for a more influential and adored special guest than Debra, whose groundbreaking career has made such an impact on American cinema,” said Maine Film Center Executive Director Mike Perreault.
Festival passes are now on sale at MIFF.org. The complete MIFF program will be announced on June 10, when tickets will also be made available for purchase online.
About the Maine Film Center
The Maine Film Center (MFC) brings world-class independent film to Central Maine through Railroad Square Cinema, the only Sundance Art House Project cinema in Maine; the annual Maine International Film Festival, a 10-day celebration that attracts filmmakers and film aficionados from around the world; and by delivering impactful, accessible film exhibition and education programs. MFC believes that art and culture have the power to enrich lives, strengthen community bonds, and serve as an economic engine. MFC is a division of Waterville Creates. For more information, visit MaineFilmCenter.org.