Denzel Washington gets Donostia Award at San Sebastián Film Festival opening ceremony
Denzel Washington gets Donostia Award at San Sebastián Film Festival opening ceremony
SAN Sebastián's famous film festival has kicked off and US actor Denzel Washington has already scooped up a prize.
The Donostia Award was presented to the Training Day actor at the opening ceremony by his friend and The Equalizer director, Antoine Fuqua.
Always the 'hard nut', Washington – who has fleshed out characters such as Malcolm X and Hurricane Carter – is planning a remake of The Magnificient Seven, also directed by Fuqua.
He said the award would not have been possible without the 'great passion' of his fans.
Washington corrected his friend and colleague when Fuqua addressed the crowds at the evening show with buenos días, which translates as 'good morning'.
“It's buenas noches,” countered the actor, or 'good evening'.
He admitted, however, that he did not speak much of the language himself.
“No sé español, per mi corazón is Spanish,” stated Denzel ('I can't speak Spanish, but my heart is Spanish').
Fuqua recalled that this was the first time the Donostia Award had gone to a black actor, and praised Denzel on his 'incredible ability', 'great compassion' and 'big heart', and said he was 'one of the most sincere people' he knew.
The star already has two Oscars, two Golden Globes, two Silver Bears and about 60 other prizes to his name for his acting.
Yet he was anything but 'starry' with the crowds of his fans when he arrived in the Basque coastal city on a private jet, smiling and posing for 'selfies', signing autographs and greeting everyone cheerfully.
The different sections of the San Sebastián Film Festival, which includes 17 productions this year in competition for the Golden Shell – named after the city's Playa la Concha, or 'shell beach', so-called because of its unique shape – were presented by famous Spanish faces including Maribel Verdú, Unax Ugalde, Cayetana Guillén Cuervo, Mireia Gabilondo, Eduard Fernández and Imanol Arias, and other national celebrities, on the panel of judges, include producer Fernando Bovaira and actress Natasha Kinsky.
Before the festival officially opened, minister of education and culture José Ignacio Wert gave a speech in tribute to actor Álex Ángulo, producer Javier Ibarretxe and artist Néstor Basterretxea, who all died earlier this year.
