Sean Penn to Receive Zurich Film Festival's Golden Icon Award

Sean Penn will be presented with the Golden Icon Award at the Zurich Film Festival, which runs from Sept. 22  to Oct. 2.

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The award, which ZFF directors directors Karl Spoerri and Nadja Schildknecht announced Thursday, is the festival’s highest honor, recognizing an actor’s lifetime achievement.

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At the awards ceremony on Sept. 28, the festival will present a retrospective of Penn’s work and also screen his latest directorial effort, Into the Wild.

“Sean Penn is a man whose remarkable film career is matched only by his extraordinary and ongoing humanitarian pursuits that have helped improve so many lives. On screen, and off, Sean has a legendary presence and is revered around the world. He is one of the finest actors of our generation and defines the term icon. We are both honored and excited to have him attend the Zurich Film Festival and accept the Golden Icon Award,” Spoerri said.

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A two-time Oscar winner for his performances in Mystic River and Milk, Penn is currently appearing on screen in Terrence Malick’s The Tree of Life and will also be seen in the upcoming This Must Be the Place.