Amy Adams to Receive Santa Barbara International Film Festival's Cinema Vanguard Award

Amy Adams in "The Master"

The Santa Barbara International Film Festival said Monday that Amy Adams, the thrice-Oscar-nominated actress who is widely expected to score fourth nom next month, will be presented with its Cinema Vanguard Award on Jan. 31 at Santa Barbara's historic Arlington Theatre.

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She is a contender for a best supporting actress Oscar nom for her performance as the wife of a cult leader in Paul Thomas Anderson's The Master.

"Adams is one of the gutsiest and most gifted actors working today,” SBIFF executive director Roger Durling said in a statement. “She embodies what the Cinema Vanguard Award is all about, and after her performance in The Master, the time has come to recognize her talent and versatility."

Adams is best known for her performances in Phil Morrison's Junebug (2005), John Patrick Shanley's Doubt (2008), and David O. Russell's The Fighter (2010), all three of which brought her best supporting actress Oscar nominations, as well as her turns in two big-studio films: Kevin Lima's Enchanted (2007) and the late Nora Ephron's Julie & Julia (2009).

This year, in addition to her performance opposite Philip Seymour Hoffman in The Master -- for which the Los Angeles Film Critics Association recently gave her the year's best supporting actress prize -- she also appeared opposite Clint Eastwood in Robert Lorenz's Trouble With the Curve and Viggo Mortensen in Walter Salles' On the Road.

The SBIFF's Cinema Vanguard Award honors "an actor who has forged his/her own path, taking artistic risks and making a significant and unique contribution to film." Previous recipients include Kristin Scott Thomas, Ryan Gosling, Vera Farmiga, Stanley Tucci, Christoph Waltz, Peter Sarsgaard and Nicole Kidman. The Artist stars Jean Dujardin and Berenice Bejo shared the award last year.

SBIFF announced in November that it will honor Ben Affleck (Argo) with its Modern Master Award on Jan. 26 and Jennifer Lawrence (Silver Linings Playbook and The Hunger Games) with its Outstanding Performer of the Year Award on Feb. 2.

The 28th annual Santa Barbara International Film Festival runs Jan. 24-Feb. 3.