Susan Sarandon to be honoured at Rome Film Festival
Susan Sarandon will receive the Alice in the City Womenlands Excellence Award at the Rome Film Festival, which runs Oct. 13-25. She will attend in person to accept the prize. The honour was reported by Variety on Sept. 22.
Alice in the City is an independently run sidebar within the Rome festival. The term means a separate strand with its own selection and events alongside the main programme. This one is dedicated to films for children and youth, and to the audiences who watch them.
Sarandon's trip is tied to the international launch of The Accompanist. She stars in the film. It is the feature directing debut of Zach Woods, the actor turned film-maker. The project began its public life at the Tribeca Film Festival in June, and Rome marks the next step in its rollout to buyers and festival audiences abroad.
In the story, Sarandon plays Sylvia. Sylvia becomes a first-time foster parent to 8-year-old Emily. That relationship sits at the centre of the film. According to the festival listing from Tribeca, Emily is removed from the care of her ageing grandfather by a rookie child-welfare agent, which leads to Sylvia's arrival in her life.
The Womenlands Excellence Award honours outstanding Italian and international women in culture, entertainment and activism. It is not a prize for a single performance. Past recipients include Paz Vega, Nastassja Kinski and Laura Luchetti. That list spans acting and directing, and places Sarandon in varied company.
Rome follows closely on Venice. Sarandon was at the Venice Film Festival in September with The Echo Chamber, directed by Andrea Pallaoro. That appearance came just weeks before the Rome announcement. Back-to-back stops on the Italian festival circuit make for a busy early autumn.
The pairing of prize and premiere fits the sidebar. A story about a child entering a new home speaks directly to a programme built for young viewers. It also gives Sarandon a public moment beyond the red carpet.
For audiences in Rome, this means a double encounter. A ceremony recognising work on and off screen. And a chance to see Sarandon present a quiet, character-led story in a setting aimed at younger viewers and the adults who watch with them.
